Black Roses
by Soadarlin
Summary: Skye Fallon is looking for something to get her through a recent break up. When alcohol stops working, what or who will she turn to next? There's more to Trinity Ashby's best friend than meets the eye. Starts in Season 3 but very AU. I do not own anything you recognize, that is all FX and Kurt Sutter. Original pairings remain. OC/? Rating changed to M.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I decided not to continue with the previously posted tester story. Your response was welcomed and I appreciated the opinions, I just couldn't find enough drive to continue with it. That being said- I WILL be starting this story and have a lot planned for it. I've been working on it while working through some writer's block on Be Together. Anyways, this is going to be more A/U than Be Together. That being said, original pairings will remain (breath all my Jax/Tara lovers). Give it a read, I'm pretty excited to see where this goes. As always, review pretty please!**

"Skye, you can't keep kissing random guys and pretending that it's him. You'll never move on like that." Trinity said. She took my hand and pulled me away from the bar, her heels clicking on the tiled floor. I teetered along behind her, banging my arm into tables and other patrons. She stopped once we were outside the pub. "Skye."

"Trinity." I quipped, sitting on the edge of the concrete flower pot. I pulled my heels off and dropped my leather clutch to the ground. My red haired best friend frowned and picked it up, dusting off the dirt that it had fallen into. I felt numb, inside and out. It was as if I was out of my body and watching everything from a distance.

"Let's get ya home. I don't want Ma to worry." Trinity said, offering me her hand. I swallowed down a lump in my throat and nodded. I had no where better to be and the last thing I wanted was for her ma to worry. I took her hand and rose to my feet with a sigh. "You'll be okay, love."

"Everyone keeps saying that. At least you didn't say he did it for the cause. I'm so sick of the cause this and the cause that." I knew all my words were running together and slurring but I didn't care. I needed it off my chest. Elijah was a lover, not a fighter, but then "the cause" got to him and he turned into a completely different person. Trinity's uncle says I don't understand because my father was American. I would never tell him but I think the real reason I don't understand the IRA's "cause" is because it's more about pride and greed than all the patriotic propaganda they slung out.

"Shite. I forgot Charming was in town." Trinity cursed as we exited the taxi. I didn't have to ask who or what a Charming was because I saw that the number of bikers parked behind her Ma's shop was more than twice the normal. No one seemed to notice us walking right through the party and up the stairs to the apartment Trinity shared with her mother. I'd been coming to the small apartment since I was a little girl. It was like a second home to me.

"Skye, ya look a mess. Why don't you go take a bath and get some sleep?" Maureen said, guiding me down the hall with her hand on my shoulder. I was still unsteady on my feet but I was barefooted so I managed not to topple over. "I'll have Trinity fetch you a towel.

"Okay." I muttered, turning on the hot water as she pulled the door closed on her way out. I watched the water start to fill the tub as I unzipped the back of my dress. It pooled down around my ankles as the door opened. I turned around in nothing but my thong, thinking it was just Trinity bringing me a towel. If I wasn't drunk, I may have been embarrassed to be topless in front of a stranger. The man was wearing a white t-shirt beneath a black, leather biker vest. He must have been one of the Charming men Trinity had mentioned. I didn't recognize him from the Belfast club. I noticed his hands were wrapped in bloodied cloth tape but the only injury I could see was a little swelling under his right eye. I put my forearm over my breasts, wondering if he would leave on his own once I took away the view. His eyes slowly moved up to mine but he didn't move to leave. I raised my brow expectantly.

Without a word, he looked me up and down one more time and left the bathroom. I rolled my eyes and closed the door back. Charming or Belfast, it seemed all the members were the same. They looked at women like they were something to own, something to conquer. I scoffed at the idea and stepped out of my thong before getting into the bath. My neck was resting on the lip of the claw-foot tub when Trinity tapped on the door. She walked in with a large white towel a second later.

"Thank you, doll." I was starting to feel sobriety creeping up on me and with that came the doldrums of being heartbroken at twenty-five. Trinity paused at the door as if she was going to say something but instead left with a silent frown. She blamed herself for introducing Elijah and I going on two years ago. They had met in University and Trinity had set me up on a blind date with him. I should have listened to my gut when the first date flopped. He was persistent and sweet though. I gave him another chance after holding him off for a few weeks and we ended up staying together for one year and seven months. He changed when he started buying into and eventually joining up with the Real IRA. He went from a sweet, caring man with a big laugh to a dark, cold monster.

"I was worried ya may have drowned." Trinity said as I walked into her small bedroom. Trinity and her Mom worked hard for what they had, even if it wasn't much compared to other's standards. I respected them for that. I even helped out at the store from time to time. Waitressing barely paid the bills so I didn't mind covering some of Trinity's shifts while she was in class.

"No, I almost went to sleep though. Luckily the party outside woke me up." I said, glancing down at the party in the yard below. The music had shaken the windows before I heard Maureen yell at them to turn it down. It was still obnoxious but the windows were safe from shattering.

"Aye. It will probably be like this until they leave." She said when I turned back. I rolled my eyes and grabbed a sleep shirt out of the bottom dresser drawer where I kept clothes for late nights or when I didn't have money for a taxi. I turned away from Trinity and dropped my towel. I pulled the shirt on and hung the towel on the back of her bedroom door.

"How long are they staying?" I asked, climbing into bed next to her. She stared at the ceiling and shrugged her shoulders.

"Dunno. Ma said they're here on business but all I've seen them do is party." She said with a little laugh. I knew about club parties, having been to a few myself. If that was the business they were in Ireland for, they were going to be around for awhile. "Try to get some sleep, dear. You're going to have one nasty hangover in the morning."

"Yeah. It won't be the first time." I said, rolling onto my side and closing my eyes. She was right, I'd gone a bit far at the pub. If it wasn't for Trinity, I probably would have continued making bad decisions and gone home with some bloke with a beer belly. Instead, I was safe and sound at the Ashby house yet again.

I woke up feeling green, just like Trinity had said. I could smell breakfast being cooked down the hall and it only made it that much worse. I rolled over and pressed my face into the pillow with a loud groan.

"Morning, Skye. Do you want something to eat?" Maureen asked as I walked into the kitchen. I shielded my eyes from the morning light pouring in through the window over the sink and shook my head. The whole kitchen was full of plates piled with fresh breakfast. It was enough to feed a small army. I clicked my tongue but kept my thoughts to myself. "What?"

"I don't know why ya cater to them, Maureen." I wasn't going to say anything, but since she'd asked. "When's the last time they've done something for you?"

"They're family, Skye. Just like you. Do I expect you to do anything?" She asked, sliding some eggs onto a plate. I gagged at the smell and covered my nose.

"No, ya don't expect anything. Still, I do for you what I can. Family is supposed to help each other." I said, lowering my volume as I heard heavy footsteps coming down the stairs. Maureen didn't say anything but the look she gave me told me to drop it. There was no real point in continuing anyway. We'd had the same conversation numerous times since I was just a teen.

"Morning. Help yourself to anything you'd like." Maureen said. I turned my head to see the biker from last night walking into the kitchen. It was a smaller kitchen but with him standing in it, it seemed miniscule. He caught me looking at him and made direct eye contact. There was no smile or grimace or snarl-just eye contact. I started feeling the hairs on my arms stand up, so I turned back to Maureen.

"Coffee?" He asked. I was tempted to turn back and look at him again. Was his voice always like that or was he just tired from the party? I wasn't sure which it was or why it caught my attention. I looked at Maureen and pursed my lips. She'd gone through the effort of cooking all of that food and he wanted coffee. Typical, I thought with a huff. Maureen gave me a warning look, so I just grabbed a piece of toast off the pile and walked outside.

I noticed a woman about my Mom's age digging through a large, leather bag on the hood of a car. She had dark brown hair and chunky, blonde highlights that seemed to go along with her lacy shirt and tight jeans. I watched her dump the contents of the bag out and then put it all right back in the bag. It took her a while to notice that anyone else was outside. She sighed and walked over, her heeled boots clicking on the asphalt.

"Got a light?" She asked as I took a drag from my cigarette. I nodded and straightened my leg to get my lighter out of my front pocket. She took it and pursed her lips. "You like to just sit around and spy on people?"

"I call it people watching." I said, taking the lighter back after she lit what looked like a hand rolled joint. She noticed my smirk and raised her eyebrows. "It's a little early isn't it?"

"Not in my time zone, sweetheart." I had a sneaking suspicion that the timezone had little to do with her lighting up. I didn't know her so I didn't push it. Her eyes were still on me. "Weren't you with Maureen's girl last night? I think I saw you stumble by."

"Aye. Skye Fallon." She nodded and turned her head to blow the smoke away from me. It seemed like she was waiting for me to ask who she was. If she didn't want to tell me I wasn't going to ask. I assumed she was with Charming. We finished our smokes in comfortable silence.

"Thank you for the light." She said, dropping the dead joint end into the pail by the door. I nodded and stood up, dusting the dirt off the back of my jeans. There was no telling how many men had their dirty boots on the bench. I walked back inside to tell Trinity goodbye and found the kitchen full of strange bikers. It looked like Charming may have brought all of their men across the pond with them.

"Watch it." I said, jumping out of the way before I was trampled by one of the younger looking men. I glared at him as he turned around.

"Sorry." He said with a big, bright smile. I rolled my eyes and let my glare fade into a scowl. He'd been walking backwards and talking to someone else, not paying a dime of attention to where he was going. I shook my head and continued on down the hall to find Trinity. She was brushing her hair and pulling on jeans at the same time.

"Thanks for having my back last night." I said with a shrug. She shook her head and wrapped her arms around my neck. "I'm going to be late for my shift. What are you doing tonight?"

"Think I may check out the party here." She said, back to brushing her hair. Something was definitely up for her to want to go to a club party, but I didn't have time to interrogate her. I made a little 'hmmph' noise and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before I left.

My plan was to go home and curl up with a chick flick after work. As drunk as I had gotten the night before and a few nights in the past month, I figured I would give my liver the night off. That was the plan up until an hour before closing. That was when he and his damn mates walked inside and sat in my section. I was the closing waitress, so I didn't have any choice but to serve them. He pretended not to even know me, even though everyone else at the table knew we'd just broken up. After that, I went home, showered and changed into the sexiest outfit I had before calling a taxi to take me to the party.

"Skye! I thought you weren't coming!" Trinity said, throwing her arms around me. She was obviously drunk. I smiled and followed her back to the table where she'd been sitting with some of our friends. I didn't want to kill her buzz by telling her the real reason I'd come to the party.

"Can they ever have a party without a fight?" I asked, watching a blonde man with the Sons of Anarchy colors tattooed on his back fight O'neill. He was one of my least favorite SAMBEL bikers, so I didn't mind watching him get his ass kicked. I caught a glimpse of Fiona and felt my upper lip start to curl. She and I went round and round every time we were within a mile of each other. I was in no mood to argue with her. "Who invited Fiona?"

"Kerrianne's da came here with the Charming boys. I guess she was having a moment of kindness and brought her to see her da for the first time in years." Trinity said before leaning back with the beer bottle to her lips. It was always fun to see her get drunk. I nodded and looked around for Kerrianne, wondering which one her father was.

"I think you have a fan, Skye." Margo whispered, leaning in so she could whisper. I smelled the liquor on her breath and realized I was completely too sober for the party. I ignored her and headed inside to get a glass of whiskey. I saw Kerrianne sitting in the living room with a Charming Son that I had seen that morning. I remembered his Glasgow Smile scars. It made sense when I thought about it.

"That what knocked you on your ass last night?" I couldn't help but recognize the voice. I didn't bother turning around until I spun the lid back on the whiskey bottle. He was wearing a grey shirt under his vest this time.

"It takes more than a glass of whiskey." I knew I sounded full of myself. I refused to be seen as a little girl that couldn't hold her alcohol though. He nodded but his expression remained unchanged. I shrugged as I walked by him. "Besides, you saw my ass last night. Did it look like I got knocked on it?"

He didn't get a chance to answer before I was back outside with my friends. Trinity was a few feet away talking to the blonde that had been fighting O'neill. I smirked, silently wishing her the best of luck with him. He looked cocky and his smile just yelled playboy. I wasn't worried about Trinity though. She could hold her own and it wasn't like he'd be around to break her heart down the road.

"How are you doing, Skye?" Margo asked, drawing my attention away from Trinity and the blonde. I raised my glass to her and took a drink. She frowned.

"Don't worry, it's Ireland. There's plenty of alcohol to get me through it." I said with a little laugh. It wasn't my first break-up and I doubted it would be my last. My problem was that when I fell in love, I fell hard. It would take me some time but I'd get through it. I couldn't promise not to do some liver damage in the meantime though. Trinity sat back down at our table with a huff, pulling me out of my thoughts. "What happened?"

"Dunno. He saw 'oh great Father Ashby' and followed him somewhere." She whined. I laughed at the idea of her uncle cock blocking her. I squeezed her hand and gave her an exaggerated wink.

"I'll sleep with you, doll." I said. She took her hand away from me and waved my offer away. I laughed and stood up, leading her into the house for more whiskey.

"I want to stay here with you, Da." I overheard Kerrianne say as I picked up the bottle. I glanced back to see him with a look of pure anguish across his face. I didn't know the details of what had happened, but I knew he was forced to leave both Fiona and Kerrianne behind when he moved to the States.

"We've got to get back, Kerrianne. Jimmy will be missing us soon." Fiona pleaded. I knew Jimmy O'Phelan was not someone you wanted to mess with. He kept Fi and her daughter under his thumb at all times. I set the bottle down and walked over to the three of them. O'neill was standing to the side, eagerly awaiting the transport.

"I'll go with you, Kerrianne. I need some fresh air. I said with a warm smile. She was quite a few years younger than me but she was a sweet girl. I wanted her to know she had a friend to lean on. Trinity raised her hand with a grin. "Yeah, she'll go to."

"You don't have to do that." Fiona said, looking at me with untrusting eyes. I shook my head and looped my arm in with Kerrianne's. O'neill nodded and turned towards the door.

"It's settled. Let's go." He said, sounding like he had somewhere important to be with his busted up face. I gave Kerrianne a reassuring smile and walked out to the van with her. The husky voiced biker held the van door open for us as we piled in. It was a cargo van so Trinity, Kerrianne and I just picked a spot on the floor and sat down cross-legged. Fionna sat up front with O'neill. I diverted my eyes from the Charming biker as he got into the back with us. I wasn't about to feed into his ego by letting him catch me looking at him again.

"What's your bloody name?" I asked, growing frustrated that he'd been staring at me since getting in the van. The van came to a sudden halt and neither of us gave a damn about my question anymore. He pulled a black pistol from behind his back as I pulled my Kahr 9mm out of my bag. I heard gunfire coming from outside of the van but nothing hit. Trinity was lying on top of Kerrianne as I moved towards the back doors. I felt a large hand grab my wrist as I reached for the handle.

"Don't move." He rasped. He suddenly had two identical pistols. One aimed at the back door I was reaching for and the other trained on the sliding door beside him. I dropped my hand just as the gunfire stopped. I heard a car speed away before the man who was still holding my wrist looked around. "Everybody whole?"

"Aye, we're good." Trinity said, crawling off of Kerrianne. The back doors opened to reveal the younger girl's father who had been riding in a van behind us. She rushed into his arms. She was terrified and rightfully so. No one was hit, despite all the shots that were fired in our direction. It didn't make sense.

"Happy." The husky voice said after we dropped Kerrianne and Fionna off safely. Trinity was sound asleep with her head in my lap. My left hand was rubbing her back while my right hand held onto my pistol, just in case. I looked up and raised my brow at him, wondering what there was to be happy about.

"What?" I asked, shaking my head. He didn't answer. He just stared out at the sliding door, waiting for something to happen. He was peculiar to say the least.


	2. Chapter 2

**Still hoping for some feedback. Thank you to everyone that has followed/favorited so far! If you have any questions, I'll answer what I can without ruining the story! Thank you for your support!**

Chapter 2

Trinity woke up with a loud groan. I laughed and offered her a glass of water and some tylenol. She opened her eyes just long enough to take the glass and pills from me. Her red hair was all over the place, some stuck straight up while some was stuck to her face. She grumbled something I couldn't understand and put the glass on her bedside table.

"Oh come on. It's a hangover. You aren't dying." I said with a little laugh as I pushed her shoulder to get her up. She rolled over and stared up at the ceiling. She sighed and finally looked over at me.

"Feeling good? You slept right through all the bikes leaving this morning. It sounded like an earthquake." The roars of the motorcycles had been so loud it shook the floors. I couldn't remember ever experiencing an earthquake but I imagined it wasn't a quiet disaster. Trinity threw her arm over her eyes and groaned again. "Come on. You'll feel better when you get up and going."

She eventually got showered and dressed, but not without some more grumbling and moaning. Maureen declined our help in the store, so we headed down to a local bakery. Trinity had sunglasses on over her eyes, despite the cloudy sky. I tried not to pick at her since she normally took such great care of me when we went out drinking. We chose to sit at one of the leather couches towards the back of the bakery with our coffees and scones.

"Last night was intense." Trinity said after a few minutes. I looked up from the magazine I was flipping through. "What? I don't think I could have gotten drunk enough to forget being shot at."

"Yeah. I have a feeling that you and I weren't the targets." I said, taking a sip of coffee. Trinity nodded and leaned back. We both worried about Kerrianne, we had ever since we were old enough to understand her situation. I couldn't imagine living with Jimmy O. I took a deep breath and set my mug down. "Have you ever thought about leaving?"

"Belfast? Aye but Ma needs me." Trinity said, shrugging her shoulder. I had been referring to Ireland but if she hadn't left Belfast, she'd never leave Ireland. After my father died, I had considered running away to America. It wouldn't have been to hard, I had dual-citizenship since he was in the US Military. So, when my mother found out about my plans she was a wreck. I ended up staying both for her and because running away at fifteen seemed daunting the more I looked into it.

We finished our coffees and decided to go for a walk. The coffee and bread had brought Trinity out of her haze and I wanted to avoid going back to Ashby Alley for a little while longer. We talked about her classes for a little while and then our conversation inevitably moved to men.

"So, he just acted like you were a stranger?" Her cheeks were almost as red as her hair after I told her about what Elijah had done the day before. I nodded and she scoffed and balled her fists up. "I can't believe I ever thought he was good enough for you!"

"People change." I said with a shrug. I was starting to come to terms with the break up, even if I couldn't say I was entirely over it yet. We continued walking for a few minutes before I spoke again. "So, you and the blonde guy?"

"Ugh, he's gorgeous! He seems so familiar." She said with a little laugh. It wasn't like Trinity to hook-up. She was a relationship type of person.

"Just remember that he's leaving soon." I bumped her with my shoulder and gave her a warm smile. I wanted her to have fun but I didn't want her heart to get broken when he eventually left.

"I know, I know. I noticed the one that was in the van with us seemed to like you. He kept watching you." Trinity gave me a wink as we turned back towards her home. I laughed and brought my hand up to feel her forehead. "I'm not running a temperature!"

"You think he likes me because he was watching me? That's just creepy, dear." I said. "He walked in when I was taking a bath. I thought it was you bringing me a towel. He didn't say a word. He just looked me up and down and then left."

"What? Did he know you were in there?" She asked quickly. I shook my head, he had seemed surprised to see anyone in there. "If he gives you any problems, let me know."

"Thanks, my little ninja." I said with a wink. She laughed and we changed the subject to the most recent episode of Britain's Got Talent for the remainder of our walk. When we got back to Ashby Alley, all of the men had returned. No one looked happy and I saw Heather crying on Maureen's shoulder. I bit my bottom lip, knowing something had to be seriously wrong to see her upset. She was a tough old lady despite both she and her husband being so young. She was only nineteen when they got married. Kerrianne's father, who everyone called Chibs, was standing close to Heather with a sullen look.

"Where were you two?" Keith McGee, Maureen's old man, barked as soon as we walked inside. I raised my brow. "We've been calling both of you!"

"I left my cell here and Skye's phone is dead." Trinity said, throwing her hands up defensively. I folded my arms across my chest, wondering what everyone was so upset about. "What's going on?"

"Padraic is dead. We didn't know where you were." Keith said, pulling Trinity into a hug. I sighed, wishing I hadn't been right about something bad happening. Padraic and Heather were expecting a baby in a few months. I twisted my mouth, trying to keep from asking my question out loud.

"It was the IRA, wasn't it?" I heard the bite in my own words and regretted speaking out against them in such a crowded room. The Charming guys looked over at me but didn't look nearly as rattled as the SAMBEL guys. I pursed my lips and waited for an answer. O'Neill stepped forward and pointed his beer bottle toward me.

"Don't be throwin' accusations around, lass. It was the UVF, had to be." He said, looking around for some support. I shook my head. Whenever something happened, the IRA blamed the UVF or the UVF blamed the IRA. The UVF were loyalists and were against anything the IRA was for. In my opinion, as well as the governments, they were all terrorists.

"Convenient scapegoat." I muttered, turning to Trinity. "I'm heading home. You're welcome to come over."

"We're on lockdown." McGee said before Trinity could respond. I rolled my eyes.

"Have fun with that. I'm going home." I walked outside and dug in my bag for my cigarettes. I searched through my bag for my lighter.

"Here." The tattooed biker that Trinity said had been watching me tossed a metal zippo lighter at me. I barely caught it and narrowed my eyes at him. "Where are you going?"

"Home." I said simply. I lit my cigarette and tossed the lighter back to him. He dropped it in the front left pocket of his jeans. I tore my eyes away from him. He was good looking, there was no arguing that, but he was also mysterious in an annoying way. I blew a few smoke rings and glanced back over at him, my frustration getting the better of me yet again. "You never told me your name."

"I did." He said. He walked over and took the cigarette out of my hands. He took a draw and then handed it back to me. I blinked and looked at him, wondering if he was crazy. "Happy."

"Why do you keep saying that when I'm obviously not happy?" I fussed, tossing the cigarette down. His brow raised and I thought I saw a little smile starting to form.

"That's my name." He rasped. I opened my mouth and closed it quickly. His name was Happy? Was he messing with me? Maybe it was just a nickname, the club usually used nicknames. "Club is on lockdown."

"I'm not in the club and I'm not an old lady." I said, wondering why my departure would matter to him. He seemed surprised by that statement. "What?"

"How are you getting home?" He seemed to have a knack for answering questions with answers I wasn't expecting. It kept me off balance with him. I didn't like it.

"I'm getting a taxi." I said, unable to find anything smart to say back. He shook his head and I laughed. "What do you mean, no? I've been taking care of myself long before you crossed the pond, buddy."

"Shut up and follow me. If you're going home then I'm taking you home." He said, looking at me expectantly. I ground my teeth together and considered slapping him across the face. Where did he get off telling me to shut up? "Come on."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're an asshole?" I asked, following him over to his motorcycle. I didn't see the point in wasting money on a taxi just to save my pride. He nodded and handed me his black helmet. I curled my lip. "I guess you don't have lice."

"Get on." He said, sitting down on the bike. I sighed and put the helmet on, fumbling with the strap a little. It had been a while since I'd been on a motorcycle. Happy started the bike as soon as my ass hit the seat. I wrapped my arms around him and waited for the lurch of taking off. The ride was surprisingly smooth. He obviously knew what he was doing.

"Thank you." I said after he turned the bike off in front of my apartment building. He had been looking up and down the street before I spoke. He stood up and moved to get off the bike. "You're not coming up."

"Don't flatter yourself." He said, looking down into my eyes. He was the most infuriating man I had ever met. I bit my bottom lip, wishing he wasn't so damn attractive. He smirked and held out his hand. I blinked, unsure what he was doing. "The helmet."

"Aye. Here." I said, handing it to him and swallowing my embarrassment down. He put the helmet on the end of the handlebars and turned back to me. I clicked my teeth together and took a step back. My legs felt like lead. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." He looked me up and down before smirking again and getting back on his motorcycle. I balled my fists.

"What are you smirking about?" I snapped. He laughed and started the engine. That was it, he had hit my last nerve. I stormed around the bike and hit the kill switch. For a moment, I was worried that he would be pissed off. He stood up and dismounted the bike on the wrong side. I swallowed hard.

He put his left hand on the side of my neck and I felt chills go up and down my spine. I still couldn't tell if I'd just kicked a bee's nest. He pressed his lips onto mine forcefully. At first I froze, wondering what in the hell he was doing but then my body took over. Our lips melded together and I grabbed a fistful of his t-shirt. My cheeks were burning and I could hear my heart beating in my ears. My body was like putty in his hands but my mind won out. I stepped back, my chest rising and falling quickly.

"Lock your door." He said as if nothing happened. I nodded and turned my back as he started the motorcycle back up. I didn't look back and went inside my building quickly.

I wasn't even drunk and I wasn't looking to hook up with anyone. Was I losing my mind? Would he have stopped if I tried to push him away? My fingers traced my swollen lips. It was a good kiss but it wasn't going to happen again.


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm having a good time writing this so I really hope you all enjoy it. I know school is getting back into session so most of my readers are fairly busy. Either way, I will continue to write both this and Be Together. Hopefully I can update Be Together in a few days. In any case, this story will be AU and will start diverting from the show in the next chapter or so. ENJOY!**

Chapter 3

My alarm clock didn't go off or maybe I didn't set it, either way I didn't wake up for my shift. I may have slept through the afternoon if my phone had stopped ringing. Panic set in as soon as I saw that Trinity had called me eight times. I quickly called her back and started getting dressed.

"Skye! Jesus, I've been calling you all morning! Are you okay?" It sounded like she was about to cry. "I was about to come kick your door down. You weren't at work and you weren't answering the phone."

"Yeah, I just woke up. I couldn't sleep." I said, stumbling as I tried to step into my jeans. I knew my boss would have a cow that I was late for work. "Is everything okay?"

"Sure." I didn't believe her for a second. I looked down at my watch and twisted my mouth. There was only an hour left in my shift at the restaurant, so there wasn't any real reason to go into work. I grabbed my bag and hurried out of my apartment.

"Are you at home?" I asked, locking the top lock before heading down the stairs.

"I'm working at the shop." She said. She sounded off and I couldn't tell if she was angry or sad.

"Okay, I'll be there in a little bit." I said. She told me I didn't have to come by but I ignored her. I made a quick call to the restaurant to apologize for not coming in. "Hey, Tommy. My alarm clock didn't go off. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. You can come pick up your last check on Friday." I blinked and pulled my phone away from my ear to see if I'd called the right person.

"What? This was the only day I've ever been late or missed work." I said, wondering how I was supposed to make rent if I didn't have a job. "Come on, Tommy. This isn't fair."

"Your check will be in the office." He said before ending the call. I gripped the phone in my hand and closed my eyes tightly. I needed that job. Tommy was a prick and I knew there was no talking him in to giving me another chance. I sighed and started walking towards Ashby Alley. I didn't want to waste money on a taxi.

"Hey, I was getting worried. Did you walk here?" Trinity asked, leaning over the counter and looking outside. I nodded and tossed the door closed. Her eyes widened. "I thought I was having a bad day."

"You are and I don't want to talk about mine yet. Give me a minute." I came back a couple minutes later with a bottle of Jameson and a glass. "Okay. Talk."

"Uh, okay. Well, you know how Jax and I were flirting?" I nodded, pouring a glass and taking a drink. She hesitated and then sighed. "Well, we were kissing and things were moving on when his mother walked in."

"That's embarrassing." I said with a little laugh. She covered her face with her hands and shook her head. I raised an eyebrow in her direction and took another sip, waiting for the rest of the story.

"Turns out McGee isn't me da." I wasn't surprised by that. Trinity didn't even believe it wholeheartedly. "Turns out John Teller and my mum were together when he was here in Belfast."

"Teller." I took a drink and almost choked on it when I realized where I'd heard that last name recently. "Wait! John Teller wouldn't happen to be Jax Teller's father. Oh. Bloody hell."

"Aye, I know! I was so embarrassed! Jax shrugged it off and made some joke about not having a kid together." I tried to contain my laughter and she started scowling at me. "It's not funny."

"I know. I'm sorry, love." I laughed. She rolled her eyes. "It's a little funny."

"It might be eventually. What has you drinking so early?" I groaned and refilled my glass. "Elijah?"

"No, haven't even heard from him since he came into the restaurant. Won't be having that problem anymore though. Tommy fired me when I called to apologize for not coming in." I closed my eyes and gulped the whiskey down. Trinity's shoulders dropped when I opened my eyes and looked at her. "I don't know what I'm going to do now."

"Maybe you can pick up some more shifts here?" She offered, laying her hand on top of mine. I shrugged and went to fill the glass again. "You don't think you may want to slow down?"

"I think I'm single and unemployed. Why not drink?" I didn't fill the glass though. Slowing down wouldn't hurt anybody. "Happy kissed me last night."

"Who?" Trinity asked. I knew that I'd probably thrown her off with the sudden change in subject.

"Happy, the tattooed one that you said was watching me. He took me home last night." I explained. She laughed and shook her head.

"His name is Happy? He always looks so moody." She laughed a little more before she could speak again. "So, how was it?"

"I mean, it was really good. He's such an ass though. I can't believe I let him kiss me." I was still kicking myself. This time it was Trinity's turn to laugh at things that weren't funny yet.

"They might be leaving soon, Skye. You don't want to have some fun before he's gone forever?" She asked, wagging her eyebrows. I shook my head at her suggestion and poured another glass of whiskey.

"Since when are you the promiscuous one?" I asked. Her eyes widened and she shook her head quickly. I furrowed my brow, wondering what her deal was.

"Day drinking?" I closed my eyes, hoping he hadn't been in the store long. He must have come in through the apartment because Trinity and I were at the counter by the front door. I raised my glass at him and polished it off. He smirked. I really hated when he did that. He looked over at Trinity and tilted his head up. "I need bleach."

"Cleaning up a crime scene?" I asked with a smirk of my own. His eyes moved back to me slowly and I really hoped he wouldn't tell me if I was right.

"Laundry. Had blood on my shirt from the fight." I didn't know if he was lying and I decided I didn't want to. I just gave him an innocent smile and diverted my attention away from him. It was hard to imagine him doing laundry but imagining him cleaning up some horrific scene made my stomach churn. Trinity handed him the bottle of bleach. "Thank you."

"You're either really brave-" Trinity started to say. I held my hand up to stop her from finishing that saying. We both knew which one I had just been.

After the shop closed, Trinity and I went to her kitchen to find something to eat. Most of the club, both SAMBEL and Charming, were gone so it was eerily quiet. The past few days had been crowded and loud. I felt like I was starting to get used to having Charming around. We settled on breakfast cereal, neither of us feeling up to cooking.

"So, what are you going to do?" Trinity asked as we sat down on the couch with our cereal bowls. I turned on the television and shook my head. "Come on, Skye. I've known you for years. I know you always have a plan. You're always thinking three steps ahead."

"I don't know. Maybe I can be a nun. Two birds with one stone, ya know?" I asked with a laugh. Trinity shook her head with amusement.

"I don't think the church would like your tattoos and drinking. You'd go stir crazy within a month anyways." She teased. She was right, I would go crazy with the monotony and routine.

"I only have four tattoos. I'm not walking around with more ink than blank skin like Happy." I laughed. Trinity smirked and I groaned. "I'm so sick of people smirking instead of just saying what they're thinking."

"Oh, I'm sure you know what I'm thinking. I think you're hooked on him after that kiss." She nudged my ribs with her elbow. "The sooner you two hook up the sooner he'll be out of your head."

"Oh, is that what you were doing with your brother?" I quipped back. She raised her middle finger at me. I had made my point. I didn't want to talk about Happy. He was the second most infuriating man I'd ever met.

"I'm considering going to the States." I said after a few minutes. Trinity looked over at me with a hint of a frown. "Trinity, you're the only person I've got left here. Ma's gone. Da's been long gone."

"How were you planning on getting there? Plane tickets aren't exactly cheap." She sounded cautious, like she didn't want to upset me. I shrugged and set my empty bowl on the coffee table.

"I don't know. It's just a thought." She had been right earlier though, I always thought a few steps ahead. I just wasn't ready to elaborate on the plan until my mind was made up.

"Where is he?" I jumped as the angry voice carried in from the other side of the door. Trinity sat up and we both listened intently. "What hole does he slither down in to to hide out?"

"I don't know, Jax! You know I would help you." I recognized Cherry's voice and wondered how she knew Jax. They had to be talking about O'neill. What had that son of a bitch done to piss Jax off? They went back and forth for a few minutes before she finally told Jax about some loft at the docks. I turned to Trinity.

"Do you know what that was about?" I asked. O'neill never seemed trustworthy. Had he actually gone against Charming or SAMBEL? Trinity shook her head and took our bowls into the kitchen. I bounced my leg up and down anxiously. Jax sounded like he was out for blood.

We watched a movie and a couple television shows before we ever heard the first motorcycle rolling back into the courtyard. I resisted the urge to rush outside and see if everyone was okay. It wasn't my place. I was just a friend of the club, if even that. Trinity glanced over as the door opened. Clay Morrow, Charming and National President, walked in with a gloomy expression. The brunette woman who I'd lent my lighter to, who I'd learned was Clay's wife Gemma, appeared out of nowhere.

"Are you okay?" She asked, pulling his face into her hands. He nodded and turned his head to kiss her palm. I looked away, feeling guilty for watching their private moment.

"Hey." I didn't have to look over to see who had spoken, I knew Happy's voice. It was a little hard to mistake for anyone else. He put his hand on my lower back and led me down the hall and away from the crowded living room. I felt my heart start to race.

"You have blood on your shirt again." I said. My throat started to feel tight like it did when I tried mushrooms for the first time with Trinity. We were seniors in high school and my boyfriend at the time had been a small time drug dealer. He gave us some mushrooms and said that it would be fun to trip out at school. It may have been fun if I hadn't learned I was allergic to mushrooms. Ma was so angry when she'd come to the hospital.

"Good thing I got bleach." He said, leading me up the stairs. His club had been staying upstairs since arriving in Belfast so I'd avoiding that part of the house to give them privacy.

"I really don't need a tour." I said, getting more nervous by the second. He stopped at the top landing and looked me in the eyes. I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat but I kept eye contact with him. Without a word, he kissed me again. It was just as rough and forceful as the first time but I was more prepared. He pushed my back against the wood-paneled wall. I was pinned in place with his hands just to the left and right of my shoulders.

"Stop." I said quickly as his lips touched the base of my neck. He stopped immediately and pulled back. "What are you doing?"

"You need flash cards?" He growled. His smoldering eyes bore into mine as my cheeks reddened with frustration. I watched his chest rise and he inhaled deeply through his nose. "Rough day."

"Join the club. I'm not some club whore." I said, wondering why he thought I would be okay with sneaking off and hooking up with him. He nodded and kissed my neck again, obviously tired of talking. Maybe Trinity was right. Sometimes the only way out was through. I brought my hands up and shoved his shoulders back. I only managed to push him a couple feet back but it was enough to get a scowl out of him. I quickly closed the distance between us and stood on my toes to kiss him. There was no hesitation on his part. He kissed me and gripped my hips.

"Happy? You up here brother?" I heard someone yell. He closed his eyes and let go of my hips. That was the sign I needed. Trinity was crazy. Hooking up with him was a horrible idea. He headed back downstairs without a word or even a parting glance my way.

"You're an idiot." I grumbled to Trinity. She scoffed and raised her eyebrows at me. I nodded and poured myself a glass of water. I didn't need to be drunk because he could come back and I could make more bad decisions.

I avoided Happy for the rest of the night, not to say that it was all that hard. After they'd returned from what I assumed was a club meeting, they'd started up a party and Happy had found himself a blonde tart to make-out with. I was only bothered by it because I was almost dumb enough to go there with him.

"You're not partying tonight?" A guy with a short Mohawk and tribal tattoos on his head asked. He didn't look like he was a day older than me. I shook my head and raised my glass of water.

"I've made enough bad decisions for the day." I said with a little laugh. He smiled and sat down beside me. I offered him my hand. "Skye."

"Juice." He said with an even larger smile. "You're Trinity's friend, right?"

"Guilty as charged! Please tell me your real name isn't Juice." I said with a laugh. With someone named Happy in their charter, I couldn't be sure. He shook his head with a laugh but didn't elaborate. "Are you missing the sun yet?"

"Every day. How do you stand this weather? It's depressing." He said, rubbing his arms. I laughed and looked up at the clouded sky.

"You get used to it and it makes the pretty days that much better. My parents actually named me Skye because my Dad said that he needed to know there was always a beautiful sky to look at." I blushed, wondering why I'd bothered telling him that. "Sorry. I guess I'm a little more drunk than I thought."

"You're good. Your Dad sounds like a good guy." He said with a little laugh. I took a deep breath and laughed it off.

"Move." Happy's voice said form behind me. I looked back to see him standing shirtless with a beer in his hand. To avoid any argument, I stood up to leave. "Not you, Skye."

I looked over at Juice to see him already standing up. Happy gave him a nod and sat down next to me. He smelled like beer and I could still see some whore red lipstick on his neck.

"Can we pretend for just a minute that you're not a total douche bag? Why do you keep coming over to me? There are plenty of looser women around." I tapped his neck. "Exhibit A."

"Just having some fun, girl." He growled. I watched him take a drink before standing up. He caught my hand and held it tightly. "Where are you going?"

"Where ever I want." I said, yanking my hand away. He smirked and I had to resist the strong urge to smack him across the face.

"I thought you were leaving." He said as I stood there and stared at his heavily tattooed body. His arms and torso were both covered. The ink added to his tough guy persona. It may have been irresistible if he wasn't such a complete ass.

"I am." I turned and walked away, swaying my hips just to drive him crazy. With no job to pay for a taxi and too much pride to ask for a ride, I decided to walk back home. It wasn't the safest thing to do but I had my trusty pistol in my bag. I was fairly confident I could take care of myself.

"Skye? What are you doing out here, baby?" I cut my eyes to a shadowy corner where Elijah's voice had come from. He lived a few kilometers away. He shouldn't have had any reason to be around. I folded my arms across my chest and decided to ignore him like he had ignored me at the restaurant. "Come on baby, let me walk you home."

"Go to hell." I said as calmly as I could. It had only been a few weeks but I felt like I had never really known him at all. I quickened my pace. I didn't want to come face to face with him. I felt his hand wrap around my wrist before he jerked me back to him. I tried to yank my arm away but he just tightened his grip. "Let go!"

"Talk to me, Skye. Come on. You can't still be mad at me." He said, smoothing my hair. I tried to jerk away again and he grabbed my throat. "Stop fighting me, bitch."

"Let her go." I had never been happier to hear that gravelly voice. I took advantage of Elijah's surprise and broke free. I rushed towards Happy, despite the gun barrel that was pointed in my direction. He kept it trained on Elijah as I stopped by his side. "Are you okay?"

"She's fine." Elijah spat. I covered my swelling wrist to prevent things from escalating. "Already a biker whore, Skye?"

"Don't talk to her." Happy growled. "Get going. You wouldn't be the first piece of shit I've killed."

Elijah didn't move for a minute and I was wondering if Happy was really about to kill someone over me. I watched him bring his left hand up to steady his aim. At that point, Elijah started walking backwards. Happy brought his gun down to his side once Elijah had been out of sight for a couple minutes. He turned around and started walking back towards the Ashby's place.

"Let me see your arm." Happy said once we were inside. The party had thinned out and there were only a few people lingering around outside. The living room was empty so I gave him my wrist. I didn't want anyone else knowing about it, especially Trinity. It was still red where his hand had been but the swelling was going down. "He hurt you before?"

"No. Never." I said, unable to stop a few tears from rolling down my cheek. Happy nodded and dropped my wrist. His brow furrowed as if he wasn't sure what to do next. "I'm fine."

"You're a shit liar." He said, wiping the tears away with his thumbs. I closed my eyes, wishing I could just pull myself together. I felt him step away and immediately wished he hadn't.

"Can you give me a ride home?" I asked, wiping the last few tears away with the back of my hand. He nodded and led the way outside to the same motorcycle he'd given me a ride home on the night before. I put the helmet on and got on the back without a fuss. I felt like such an idiot. When we got to my building, he parked the bike and turned it off. "Thank you."

"I'm staying." He said, putting the helmet I had handed him on the handlebars. I was about to object when he motioned back the way we had come. "Romeo back there knows where you live, Skye. I'm sure you've got a couch."

"I do." I said with a defeated sigh. He nodded and waited for me to lead the way in.


	4. Chapter 4

**This chapter is a bit shorter than the last but I'm hoping to finish the following chapter and have it posted later today. Very excited about this and the following chapters! Please enjoy! Please review! Thank you for your support!**

Chapter 4

Happy was sleeping on the couch with his arm covering his eyes when I walked into the small living room. His knees were bent and I could still tell the couch was too small for him. He wasn't a large man, he was just too damn tall. Instead of getting caught watching him sleep, I walked into the kitchen in search of something to make for breakfast.

"Morning." He called from the couch as soon as my feet hit the kitchen tiles. I sighed. Of course he'd caught me. "You don't have to cook."

"That's good." I said, looking at my empty pantry. The refrigerator had some milk that had expired the day before and one egg. "There's a café down the street if you want coffee or something."

"Coffee's good." He muttered. He had rolled onto his back and had his knees bent so that his feet were flat on the couch cushion. It was strange to see him without shoes on. I couldn't really explain why but it made him seem vulnerable. It made him seem human.

"I forgot, you don't eat breakfast do you?" I remembered him turning down all of the food Maureen had made and asking for coffee instead. He nodded and propped up on his elbows to look at me. "Thank you."

"You shouldn't have tried to walk home at night." I don't know why I even expected him to just say 'you're welcome'. He swung his legs off the couch and sat up, scrubbing his face with his ringed hands. "Was that your boyfriend?"

"Ex." I clarified. He nodded and stood up. "When are you leaving?"

"I thought we were getting coffee." He said, stepping into his boots. I twisted my mouth, wondering if I should save face and let him think I was referring to leaving my apartment. He smirked and it didn't piss me off, at least not as much as it had every other time. "When Jax finds his kid and Clay says we go."

"What? Where is Jax's kid?" I realized that I'd never asked why the Charming charter was in Belfast. Happy shook his head and bent down to tie his laces.

"Don't know yet." He said sarcastically. I realized it was a stupid question but I was just surprised. I nodded and twisted my claddagh ring around my finger. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah." I grabbed my bag and followed him out, locking the door behind us. My mind was spinning as we got on his bike. I gave him directions to the cafe and he started the bike up. Even the roar of the engine couldn't drown out my thoughts. Why was Jax's son in Ireland and why wasn't the mother here looking to. I started chewing on my thumb nail when we sat down at the cafe table.

"What are you worried about?" Happy asked, pulling me out of my head a little. I took my thumb away from my teeth and took a deep breath. I knew how private the club could be, especially about family matters.

"How old is Jax's kid?" I asked, hoping it was a safe enough question to test the waters with. The barista brought our coffees and my scone over, her eyes lingering on Happy.

"Few months? Maybe close to a year?" He didn't seem to bothered by the question but he also had no clue how old the baby was.

"Who would take a baby?" It was a rhetorical question that wasn't meant to be said aloud. Happy set his coffee down and leaned back. "I mean, what type of person would take a baby?"

"A piece of shit." Happy said. We watched each other for a minute before getting back to our breakfast. He didn't elaborate on what he knew about who took the baby and I didn't ask anymore questions. It was obvious that he either couldn't or wouldn't talk about it. I just hoped the baby was okay. Happy's phone started vibrating and he answered it quickly. The call was short. "We need to go."

"Okay." I didn't want to lose my ride and whatever he needed to leave for seemed important. I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my cheek against his the reaper on his back. It was a short ride to Ashby Alley. When we got there, I gave him his helmet and stepped back.

"Hey." He called out over the multiple idling motorcycles. I stepped closer so he didn't have to yell. "Be safe and don't do anything stupid while I'm gone. I'll see you later."

"Aye, okay." I said, rolling my eyes. I appreciated him helping me with Elijah but he talked to me like I was some reckless kid. Trinity was standing in the doorway watching me with an amused expression when I turned around. "Don't you bloody start."

"Oh come on, you don't want to talk about the sleep over ya had last night?" She laughed. I raised my middle finger and walked past her without a word. She giggled and followed me into the store. "Do you want the rest of my shift? I was kind of hoping to meet Lucas for lunch."

"Moving on from Jax so quickly?" Her cheeks matched her hair as her blood started boiling. "I'm kidding. Go get ready for your lunch date."

"Thank you." She gave me a hug before leaving the store in my hands. The day went by slowly and I couldn't seem to get Jax's baby out of my head. I couldn't imagine what he was going through. He was in a foreign country searching for an innocent child. It was heartbreaking. No wonder they partied at night. He probably had to do something to keep from going crazy.

"Think I can borrow that lighter again? I think Clay swiped mine." Gemma teller said, walking behind the counter. I nodded and pulled it out of the front pocket of my bag. I never found the one that I had given Gemma before but I had a whole drawer at home. I just happened to remember to grab one before Happy and I left earlier. "Thanks."

"Yep." I bit my lip. Gemma was the baby's grandmother. How was she so calm. "I heard about your grandchild. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"His name is Abel. You must have Happy around your finger if he's talking." Gemma said with a chuckle. I felt my cheeks redden as I shook my head. Around my finger was the last place that man could be found. Gemma put her unlit cigarette back in the pack and pocketed my lighter. "You'd be good for him. You're…sweet."

"No offense but you don't know me." She had said the word sweet like I was some innocent, naïve girl. This was the second time I had even talked to her. She knew nothing about me.

"I know more than you think. I'll bring your lighter back." Gemma said with a wicked smile. I didn't know if I liked her or not. She was a tough broad and I respected that but she was also a bit of a bitch. I didn't expect to get that lighter back.

"What are you looking at?" I jumped up, startled by Happy's sudden appearance. He hadn't made a noise and I was so focused on the computer that I didn't even hear the bikes returning. I closed the Internet browser and swiveled around on the stool to look at him.

"You shouldn't sneak up on people like that." I said, ignoring his question. I didn't want to tell him I'd been looking up my father's old army unit. It wasn't really any of his business. He shrugged and looked at the clock on the wall behind me.

"Store should be closed." He announced. I looked at the clock to see that he was right. I should have locked up over an hour ago. I stood from the stool only to have him grab my hips. "Jax found his kid. We're leaving tomorrow."

"Oh." Why couldn't I smile and be happy that a baby was found. Instead I just felt kind of hollowed out. "That's good."

"Lock up." Happy said, releasing my hips and stepping aside. I slid past him and locked the door slowly. They were leaving. I was glad Jax had found his son but I didn't think they would be leaving so soon. I dropped my hand from the lock and turned around to see Happy watching me closely.

"Do you have time to take me home?" I asked, locking eyes with him. He nodded and walked around from behind the counter. He handed me my bag and followed me outside. I stopped and turned back to him. The next few hours were going to be some of the hardest since my ma died. I needed a release. "Let's go."

As soon as our feet hit the ground in front of my apartment, our hands were all over each other. I threw my bag down onto the floor and he kicked my door closed. He seemed to know exactly where to kiss me and exactly where to touch me to make my entire body feel electric. He slammed my back against my bedroom wall and unbuttoned my jeans. I shoved him back and took my shirt off before he could regain dominance.

"Get on the bed." He said, backing away as he took his vest off. He folded it length wise and set it on the bench in front of the bed. I did as he said and crawled on the bed, discarding my jeans as I went. His eyes didn't leave me as he yanked his shirt off and unbuckled his belt. "I like this."

"Thanks." I hissed as his fingers ran over the cluster of flowers that extended from just under my breast to my hip. He unhooked my bra and tossed it out of the way. He had seen me naked that first night but he still took his time and looked me over. The longer he looked, the more worked up I got. He finally pushed his jeans and underwear off. I found myself biting my bottom lip as I looked at his package. "Condom."

"I know." He said, reaching down and grabbing his wallet by the silver chain that connected it to his belt. He pulled out a foil wrapped condom and I offered him my hand. He smirked and handed it over. I couldn't look into his eyes that were boring into me as I tore the wrapper open and rolled the condom down his shaft. He tangled his hand into my hair as I ran my hand up and down his length a couple more times. "Skye."

Happy pushed my back down and laced his fingers in with mine, pinning my hands down onto the mattress. When his mouth left mine and he started kissing my neck, I could barely breathe. I arched my back and he moved his lips down onto my breast. I felt like I was going to explode.

"Christ." I moaned as he slid inside of me. My hands tightened around his and I bit my lip so hard I started to worry that it may bleed. He moaned and it was the most erotic thing I'd ever heard. He kept it slow at first, giving me time to adjust to him before he started thrusting into me fast and hard. I was never quiet during good sex but this man brought porn star noises out of me. When he flipped me over and had me on my hands and knees, I wondered if I was ever going to enjoy sex with anyone else again.

"You like this?" Happy asked, holding my throat so my back was against his chest. I moaned and nodded my head. "Say it, Skye."

"Yes." I moaned, bringing my hands up to rub my breasts. He kissed the side of my neck and slid a hand down my stomach. His fingers rubbed perfect circles and I was completely his. I leaned my head back and my hair fell over his shoulder as my breathing quickened and my body tightened around him. I couldn't remember ever coming so hard. He thrusted into me two, maybe three more times before his hand tightened around my neck and he bit into my shoulder with a growl.

"You okay?" He whispered after his orgasm had passed. I nodded as he removed his hand from my throat. I moved off of him and rolled onto my back to stare at the ceiling. He walked into the bathroom and reappeared a minute later. I propped myself up on my elbows and watched him get dressed. "Are you coming back?"

"No. I need to do some stuff around here." I got off the bed and grabbed my sheer robe off the back of my closet door. He smirked as I tied it closed.

"You can see through that." He said, watching me even as he tied his boots. I nodded and walked into the bathroom, closing the door for some privacy while I cleaned myself up. He opened the door just as I sat on the commode. I rolled my eyes and looked up at him. "Maybe I'll see you if we come back to Belfast."

"I didn't take you as the sentimental type, Happy." I said. I washed my hands and gave him a genuine smile. "I had fun."

"Good." He said, kissing me briefly. It wasn't rough or forceful like it had been in the past. It was a goodbye kiss. "Take care of yourself, Skye."

"I will. You to." I leaned against the frame of my bedroom door and watched him walk down the hall. I waited until the door closed before I moved into my closet. I didn't have long to get ready.

A/n- - - - I'm sorry if there are any typos! I was just so excited to post this I may have missed an error or two! On to writing chapter 5


	5. Chapter 5

**a/n: Posting this a little later than I'd wanted to but I was super busy at work. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please drop a line or two about what you think! I know I keep saying it but this will be AU, I promise. There are still going to be some things you recognize though. I'm also working on more character development for Skye. Hopefully y'all stick with me! Enough of this note, enjoy the chapter:::::**

Chapter 5

The planned seemed like a good idea the night before, even a few days before. It wasn't until I was hiding in the back of a cargo plane with a large duffel bag and a back pack that I started to wonder if I had gone completely insane. The club still hadn't shown up and I heard the pilot talking on his phone about leaving them behind as I considered sneaking right back off the plane and going back to Ashby Alley.

After Happy had left, I started packing what I couldn't live without. Luckily, I didn't have any emotional attachment to anything larger than my father's fatigue jacket and a necklace my parents had given me when I was a child. I stuffed the duffel bag with clothes and put all of my important papers and valuables in the back pack.

"You're really leaving?" Trinity asked as soon as I opened my apartment door. I nodded and pulled her into a hug. There was no doubt that I would miss her. She was like the sister I had always wanted. We spent the rest of the night drinking the best two bottles of wine I had. It was bitter-sweet to leave but I made her promise to come visit as soon as I found someplace to settle down. We pinky-swore and then we cried.

Trinity had been the one who overheard where they would be taking off from. If it hadn't been for her, I would have had to talk Clay Morrow into letting me go with them. I decided that it was better to ask forgiveness than permission and got a cab to drop me off a couple blocks from the air strip. The pilot had been looking at a magazine and smoking a cigarette when I snuck onto the plane. Now all I had to do was stay hidden until we were up in the air.

"Hey! It's about time! I almost left the whole lot of you!" The pilot yelled. I heard some car doors open and close and pulled my legs up closer to my body. My heart was racing. There were multiple sets of heavy steps walking on the metal floor of the plane. I closed my eyes and waited.

The cargo door closer with loud, metal on metal squeaking. The club was talking about the motorcycles they'd ridden while in Belfast and how they looked forward to getting back on their own bikes. It was funny to hear them speaking so candidly and about such light hearted topics. I heard Gemma talking sweetly to who I assumed was Jax's son. The engines started up and I bit my lip. I didn't like flying. I hated it.

"Ow. Shit. Damnit." I yelped when a box fell down on my shin. I grimaced from the pain and knowing that I would be found in seconds. Luckily, it had been take off that caused the box to fall. We were already in the air. There wasn't much anyone could do and I knew the pilot wouldn't turn back around on account of me.

"You lost?" He asked with a laugh. I smiled and shrugged with a little laugh. He gave me a hand as I climbed out from behind the crates that had been concealing me. All eyes were on me and my cheeks started burning.

"Fancy seeing you all here." I said, hoping everyone would react the same way Jax had. I made a point to avoid looking at Happy. I had a feeling he wouldn't laugh it off. His ego was big enough he would probably think I was being clingy and following him back to Charming. The sex was great but my decision had nothing to do with him.

"We got enough heat without you sneaking into the country." Clay said, shaking his head with obvious anger.

"Technically she's a citizen. Her father was American." Gemma said, rocking Abel in her arms. I was surprised she was coming to my aide.

"Yeah, he was US Army so I have dual citizenship." I said with a shrug. Clay shook his head again but he didn't comment. Jax laughed again and rubbed my shoulder.

"Guess you might as well settle in." He gave me that bright smile that Trinity had gone on about before she found out their family's little secret. I kept my eyes on anything but Happy as I walked over and sat down on one of the cargo net seats that lined the walls of the plane. Gemma sat down next to me with a sly grin.

"You could have asked." She said quietly. I glanced over at her and then to Clay.

"Your old man would have shot that shit down in a second." I looked back at her and the baby she was holding. "Is this Abel?"

"It is. Abel, meet Skye, she likes to sneak into other countries to." Gemma said, rocking him back and forth. I laughed and was able to relax a little.

"Nice to meet you, Abel. You don't have to worry, Gemma. I don't plan on sticking around Charming." I said, tucking my hair behind my ear. She furrowed her brow.

"Why not? We need some fresh blood around." She glanced up and smiled. "I'm pretty sure someone else won't be happy to hear that either."

She stood up and crossed the plane, sitting down beside Jax. Her seat was quickly taken by Happy. It wasn't like I could avoid him for the whole flight. When I looked up, I was surprised to see that he wasn't scowling or blowing steam out of his ears. His expression was just as stone and neutral as ever.

"I was planning on stowing away before we fucked." I said, addressing the elephant in the room. His head shook side to side ever so slightly.

"You could have said something." He said. His voice was low and it sounded even more gravelly.

"Don't worry. What happens in Belfast stays in Belfast. You don't have to worry. This wasn't about you." I explained, keeping my voice down. He nodded and leaned his back against the top rail that was holding the seats. The plane jerked and I gripped the cargo netting. Happy chuckled and raised his right arm. When I didn't move, he wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close. I rested my head on his shoulder as the plane jerked again.

"It's a long flight. Get some sleep." I glanced up at him and he gave me a smile. It was the first time he'd given me a full on smile. I was surprised I was even able to fall asleep. I came to a couple times when the plane hit turbulence but Happy was still there. One time he had his arm around me with his hand resting on my hip. The other time his hand was resting on my head, holding me to him.

"Skye, we're about to land." Happy said, squeezing my hip. I groaned and sat up with a serious crick in my neck. Still, I was thankful for the rest. Sleeping made the flight go by faster and made up for the lack of sleep the night before. "You're riding with me. Put your shit in the van."

"Oh." I said with a yawn. "Okay."

I gripped his leg reflexively when the plane's landing gear hit the ground. I quickly let go and gave him an apologetic smile. Happy just shook his head and continued his conversation with the dark, curly haired man named Tig. They were talking about some stripper and debating whether or not she was really a man or a woman.

"Keep your head down. We'll talk tomorrow." Clay said as the cargo door opened. I nodded and lifted my duffle bag with a grunt. Happy looked over and shook his head before taking the bag from me. Clay rolled his eyes and stepped off the plane.

"So this is the bike you were pining to get back to?" I asked as Happy led me over to a glossy black Harley Davidson with a ghostly, blue reaper painted on the tank. It was definitely nicer than the bike he rode in Belfast.

"It is. Her name is Mortisha." He said, gripping the handlebar. I held back my laughter over him naming his bike after an Adam's family member. He caught me grinning and narrowed his eyes at me. "It's a long walk to Charming."

"I'm sure I could get a ride from someone else." I said, waving towards the other bikes and men standing around us. He grunted and handed me his helmet. I took a deep breath. This was real. I was in the States. I was in California. We waited for everyone else to roll out in a side by side formation. We brought up the rear of the group, riding just ahead of the black SUV that Gemma and baby Abel were in.

Happy's riding style was completely different than it had been in Belfast. You could tell he knew the roads and the bike. We flew down the highway behind the rest of the group but I felt just as steady and safe as going I did riding the speed limit in Belfast. He leaned into turns and accelerated out of them at lightning speeds, only to slow back down to let Gemma catch up. I could tell he was happy to be back home in California.

California was growing on me within minutes of landing. It was night but it was still warm. There was no frigid chill to the air like there was in Belfast. The air felt dry and almost seemed easier to breath than the damp Ireland air I'd grown up with. I could see why Da always said that California was his favorite place to be stationed before I was born.

"Welcome to Charming." Happy said as he put the kickstand down on the parking lot of an automotive garage. There was a building opposite the garage that I could only assume was their clubhouse. The reaper and the club's name were both displayed prominently above the door. I climbed off the bike and looked around, taking it all in.

"Hap! Good to have you back brother!" A blonde man said, jogging over to Happy. I stood back and watched them exchange a hug and I wondered why he hadn't come to Ireland with the rest of the club. His blue eyes landed on me for a quick up and down and then he looked back at Happy. "Who's this beautiful creature?"

"Skye Fallon. She snuck her way onto the plane." Happy looked back at me with that annoying smirk. "Skye, this is Herman."

"Man, don't do that. Only the cops and my mom call me that." The blonde said, with a large grin. "Kozik. It's my last name."

"Good to meet you." I said, giving him my hand. He kissed the back of it and I couldn't help but laugh. Happy rolled his eyes and pointed towards the clubhouse.

"Now you need that tour." Happy said, throwing my words back at me from our trip upstairs in Belfast. I laughed and let him lead me inside with his hand on the small of my back. Kozik came along, asking what kind of mood Jax was in and if everything went okay. Happy stopped shortly into the tour and looked Kozik dead in the eye. "What's going on?"

"Uh, well, Salazar picked up Tara and the red headed lady a couple days ago." What he'd said seemed pretty harmless from the outside but judging by Happy's reaction, this was a very bad, very big deal.

"Don't leave the lot." Happy told me before he shoved Kozik along towards Jax. I rocked back and forth on my feet for a second before walking over to Gemma and the baby.

"Is it always like this with the Charming guys? First a baby was kidnapped, they find the baby and now they get home to someone else missing?" I asked, sitting down on the couch across from her. She sighed and shook her head.

"It's just been a bad few months." She looked down at Abel and smiled. "You've got to take the good with the bad."

"I guess." I said, leaning back. I wasn't sure how Gemma and Maureen did it. I honestly didn't know how any of the old ladies dealt with all the blood and bullets. It was like being married to a soldier except the government wasn't on their side and instead of fighting for freedom it was usually about money or revenge.

"So you're here. What now?" Gemma asked as the club filed into what I assumed was their 'church'. I shrugged and looked from the double doors to her.

"I think I'll go visit my Dad's old unit. Maybe do some travelling and see where I land." I had made it to the States, that was nearly all of my plan. Because I didn't honestly think that plan would work, I hadn't thought beyond getting to California.

"I think you would fit in here. You've got some spunk." Gemma said with a smile. I knew by spunk she meant that I was somewhat of a bitch. I was okay with that. It just meant I didn't take any shit.

"I'll stick around for a few weeks at least. I need to save up some money and maybe get a car." I knew I only had about a thousand US dollars to my name and it wouldn't get me far. Gemma nodded and motioned towards the door.

"Now that Abel's back and the boys are going in for a few months, I'll need some help in the office. Filing, stuff like that." I blinked. The club had just gotten back from Ireland. Where could they possibly being going for a few- my train of thought came to a sudden stop. They were getting locked up? For some reason, that hit me like a load of bricks. "You didn't know, did you?"

"No. I mean, it didn't really come up. There was no reason for him to tell me." I said, trying to snap myself out of it. There was nothing between Happy and I aside from some great sex and a couple rides on the back of a motorcycle. Gemma was looking at me like I had just tried to convince her that the sky was green.

"Who are you trying to convince, Skye? Me or yourself?" Gemma reminded me so much of my mother.

"I'm pretty tired from the plane ride and everything. Is there somewhere I can sleep?" I shut the conversation down as soon as I felt my walls starting to give way. I didn't need this shit. I came to the States for a fresh start.

"Sure, come on sweetheart." I was glad she didn't push the subject, even though I was sure she would. I followed her across the room and down a hallway. She fished a ring of keys out of her pocket and unlocked the door to what reminded me of a university dorm. I walked in and looked around for a second. It looked like it was ready for military inspection. Nothing was out of place. It was beyond tidy. "Get some rest."

"Thanks, Gemma." I said before she closed the door. I took a deep breath. This was going to be my life for a while, relying on other people to let me crash here or there. I got into the bed and wondered if I'd made the wrong decision. I could have found another job in Belfast, eventually. There was nothing I could do about it right then though. I closed my eyes.

I sat straight up in the bed and looked around, wondering what had woken me up. The room was still dark, the door still closed. It wasn't until my blood stopped pounding in my ears that I heard water running. I looked to my right and saw light coming through from underneath a door I had assumed led to a closet. I swallowed hard and slid out of bed as quietly as possible, hoping to get out of the room before whoever was in there came out.

"Skye." I jumped at my name. I had just gotten my shoes on. I turned around to see Happy standing in nothing but a towel around his waist.

"Jesus! What are ya doing in here?!" I put my hand over my heart to keep it from jumping out of my chest. He ran his palm over the short hairs on his scalp and chuckled. "You can't just sneak in while I'm sleeping."

"This is my room and you're one to talk about sneaking in places." He leaned against the door to the bathroom and shook his head with amusement. My cheeks turned red with a mix of embarrassment and anger. Gemma knew exactly what room she took me to. She was trying to push us together. What was the point? He was going to prison.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going to prison?" I couldn't stop myself from asking the question. His smile faded quickly. I started back-peddling as quickly as I could. "I mean, you didn't have to. I was just surprised."

"If you were in Belfast, would it matter?" Happy asked, walking over to me. I bit my lip. Why did it even matter now that I was in Charming? "I don't do the old lady, dating thing."

"I don't want that." I said quickly, feeling embarrassed. He nodded and turned back towards the bed.

"Then what are we talking about?" He grabbed a pair of boxer briefs out of the dresser closest to the bed and stepped into them. "You're staying in here. Rest of the rooms are full."

"Okay." I decided the less I spoke, the better. I kept putting my foot in my mouth and making it seem like I had feelings for him. I didn't. He was good in bed and maybe a little less of an asshole than I originally thought. That was all. We weren't even friends.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I woke up and slid out of the bed, careful to avoid waking Happy up. Even with no windows in the room, I could tell it was still dark outside. It would probably take me a long time to get used to the time change. Sure, enough, the Stars were still out when I stepped onto the parking lot. I lit a cigarette and took in the silence of what I assumed was early morning.

My life was going to be hectic for a while, I knew that. I still hoped that I could make a better life than I had in Belfast. At least it would be new. I was starting out somewhat fresh.

"You're up early." I looked towards the clubhouse and saw Juice walking towards me. I nodded and blew a cloud of smoke up towards the stars. "Are you missing home yet?"

"Nah. I miss Trinity already but I don't know if I'll ever miss Belfast." I said, offering him my pack of cigarettes. He smiled and took one. "Are you from Charming?"

"Me? No, I'm from New York. California feels more like home though." Juice said, dropping his lighter back into his pocket. It was a little strange to see him in just a plain tank and jeans. The guys always looked so different without their vests.

"What are you doing up?" I asked, snuffing my cigarette butt out with the toe of my shoe. He shrugged and blew a few smoke rings. Neither of us said anything for a few minutes. It wasn't awkward or tense, it was just calm and quiet.

"Do you plan on staying around?" Juice asked as the sun started turning a purple and navy blue. I shook my head but didn't elaborate any further. I wasn't sure if he was asking for himself or someone else. Either way, I didn't know where I was headed next so I didn't have much to tell him. "I'm going back to bed. Thanks for the cigarette."

"No problem." I said with a grin. He headed back inside and it was back to silence. I wondered why everyone was so concerned about me staying or going. I was just a stow away.

The purple and navy sky started turning pink and orange as distant birds starting waking and singing. I stretched and walked back inside to find some tea or coffee. There were a couple girls straightening up the clubhouse and the bar, but none of them seemed to notice me walking into what I assumed was the kitchen. It took a few minutes but I finally found some coffee beans and sugar.

"Can I get a cup?" Jax asked as I started the coffee pot. I nodded and grabbed a mug from under the counter. It was a little nerve racking to not know where anything was. "Did you sleep at all?"

"A little on the plane and a few hours here." I said, leaning my left side against the bar. Jax nodded and rubbed his hands over his face. "I'm guessing you didn't?"

"Not at all." He said, bringing his elbows down onto the bar and pressing his palms together as if in prayer. I wanted to ask him who Tara was but I didn't want to add to the stress that was written all over his face. A few more members and girls started to file into the bar area as I poured both Jax and I some coffee. "Thanks, darlin."

"It's your coffee." I said with a little smile. Jax chuckled but it didn't reach his eyes. I felt bad for him. "So, how long am I on house arrest?"

"Where do you want to go?" Jax asked. I started to wonder if it was impossible for a member of the club to give a straight answer. I shrugged. Jax nodded and poured a little more sugar in his mug. "When you find out where you want to go, let me know and I can send someone with you, darlin."

"Sure." I didn't doubt he could hear the disappointment in my voice. I wanted my freedom, at least I had that much in Belfast. Well, I had that much before Charming came around. Jax was focused on whatever was going on in his head so I slipped away and headed outside for a smoke. I had a feeling I was going to get cabin fever if this lockdown lasted much longer. What was worse was that it didn't seem like an official lockdown, it was mainly me.

"Morning." Happy said, walking over to the table I was sitting at. I gave him a nod and took a drag from my cigarette. I didn't feel like talking. Happy cracked his neck and stretched before sitting down on the opposite end of the bench. He glanced at me a couple times but never said anything. It was obviously bothering him that I wasn't talking.

"Heard your Dad was from Bakersfield." Happy said, pulling me out of my daze. I blinked a couple times and slowly turned my head to look at him.

"Excuse me?" I said, unsure why or how he knew that. "That's why Juice was awake this morning? Digging up stuff on my dead father?"

"If you're going to be around the club we've got to know who you are." Happy brushed off my anger like it was nothing. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going where ever the bloody hell I want to go, Happy. Your club doesn't need to know anything about me. I'm not going to be around." I snapped, walking towards the clubhouse. My stuff was in his room and I wasn't about to leave without it and face him and everyone else when I came back to get it. I heard Happy's wallet chain jingling as he followed me inside and then down the hall.

"Damnit, Skye. Stop being a bitch." Happy said, grabbing my wrist that was reaching for his doorknob. I jerked my wrist back and shoved his chest.

"I may be a bitch but I'm sure as hell not yours!" I said, turning for the door again. He followed me inside the room and slammed the door closed. "You and your club have no right looking through my personal life."

"Cut the shit, Skye. You think Belfast didn't do the same damn thing? This isn't the Boy Scouts. We can't just trust anyone." Happy all but yelled. I snatched my backpack up and threw it onto my back.

"What does my Da's birthplace have to do with trusting me? He's been gone for years." I snapped, reaching for my duffle bag. Happy stepped right in my way.

"Tell me why you're pissed and I'll let you leave." He said, folding his arms across his chest like a stubborn child. I scoffed and shook my head. "I've got all day."

"No you don't." I muttered, loosing some of my original steam. He took a deep, chest rising breath and looked me in the eyes. "I didn't know he was from Bakersland."

"It's Bakersfield." Happy said quickly. I narrowed my eyes at him but he didn't flinch.

"Bakersfield. I don't remember him ever telling me about it." I said, feeling my anger start to give way to sadness. No matter how long it had been since he had passed, I still missed him everyday. I swallowed and dropped my bag beside my feet.

"My Ma's from Bakersfield. She's been there forever. She may have known your old man and his family." Happy said with a shrug. I furrowed my brow and looked up at him. "She likes meeting new people."

"So she's the opposite of you?" I asked, trying to make a joke. I hated the tension in the room. He nodded. Before either of us could say anything else, someone knocked on the door. Happy kissed my forehead and left the room. I didn't see him again until later that night. Looking back, I wish I would have just stayed at the clubhouse.

"You lost?" The bartender asked as soon as my ass hit the stool. I shook my head and ordered a double of their best whiskey. He poured the glass and slid it over to me. "You sound lost."

"Has anyone ever told you that you have great customer service?" I growled. I didn't need yet another man questioning what I did. He smirked and started wiping some glasses. It seemed like bartenders were always wiping glasses or bar tops.

"Sweetheart you can tell me whatever you want in that cute little accent." He chuckled and stood up straight. "Are you from London."

"No." I said, knocking the drink back and sliding my glass back towards him. He just looked at me until I rolled my eyes. "Ireland."

"Ireland, huh? I guess that explains the whiskey. You really got to be lost if you're here in Charming." He was really starting to get on my nerves. I knew I could get free drinks at the clubhouse but that was the last place I wanted to be. I'd made the effort to sneak away, I wasn't going to just waltz back in for a drink yet.

"How far are we from Bakersfield?" I asked as he gave me another double. He shrugged and just said a hundred miles or two. I had three more doubles before standing up to leave. The ground felt a little wavy underneath my feet. "How much?"

"Fifteen. Gave you the lost girl discount." He gave me a big wink. I opened my bag and started thumbing through the notes in my wallet. I suddenly realized a very big problem with my plan to get drunk somewhere other than the clubhouse. I didn't have any US dollars. I figured I would give it a shot and hope he'd take my payment. He looked at the bills I gave him and chuckled. "Fifteen dollars, lady."

"Aye. See, I only just got here and I haven't converted my money over. It's good though. The bank will take it. I think it comes up to over twenty dollars, US." I said, feeling nervous as he started to walk around the bar. He slammed the money onto the bar just to my right. I pulled my bottom lip in. "Look, let me call a friend. He can pay you."

"I'm sure we can work something out, Lucky Charms." He reached out and stroked my arm with a deep chuckle. I felt all of my whiskey jump up to the back of my throat. I shook my head and took a step back. "By the look of those lips, it wouldn't take you five minutes, baby."

"No, really. I'll call him and he can pay you cash." I kept taking steps back as he took steps forward. Eventually, my back hit a wall in a dark corner of the deserted bar. I kicked myself for leaving my pistol in my backpack when I dug my handbag out of the duffle. "Please."

"Skye." I had never been happier to hear my name coming from Happy's mouth. The bartender took a quick look over his shoulder and backed away from me like I had the plague. Happy looked pissed. I would have liked to believe all that rage was because of the perverted guy that had pushed me up against a wall. I knew better than that though. "Go outside and sit with Tig."

"Okay." In my head I was tough. In my head I told him not to tell me what to do or when. My head was also floating in a whiskey induced haze. Luckily some part of my sanity was intact and prevented me from arguing with him. I walked out to find Tig sitting backwards on his bike. I groaned and walked over to him. "Think you could just shoot me and get it over with?"

"Nah, I don't want him pissed off at me. Why'd you leave, baby?" I groaned and tossed my hands up in a drunken, exaggerated way. Tig shook his head and gave my a pity smile. I heard the bar's front door open with a squeak and braced myself for Happy's wrath. He didn't say a word. He just handed me his helmet and got on the bike. I glanced over at Tig but he was avoiding me.

"Garage." Happy growled as soon as his engine cut off. Part of me still wanted to refuse to do anything he said but I ended up walking towards the garage anyways. "Are you stupid?"

"No. I'm not. I went to get a few drinks away from all the tits and leather." I grumbled. "You don't own me, Happy."

"Damnit, Skye. We just got Tara back and then you ran the hell off." Happy yelled. I scowled at him and threw my hands up.

"So? I'm not an old lady, Happy! I'm some girl you fucked in Ireland. Stop acting like I owe you something!" I said, balling my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms. He threw his own fist out to the side and connected with the metal, garage door.

"You don't owe me shit, Skye! Could you let someone give a damn about you without it being a fight?" I knew I was drunk but I didn't realize I was so drunk I would be hallucinating. Had he really just insinuated that he cared? I shook my head.

"Oh, you give a damn now? Where was that on the long-ass plane ride when you could have told me about getting locked up?" There it was again. The extremely large bone I had to pick with him. I didn't love him. Hell, I barely even liked him most of the time. For some reason, it still bothered me that he hadn't mentioned going to prison at any point in time.

"Why would I? You aren't going to be around when I get out." Happy snapped, glaring at me. I ground my teeth together. I hated that he had a point. I wasn't planning on sticking around so why would I care that he wouldn't be around either. I bit my bottom lip and he closed the distance between us quickly. "Why does it matter, Skye?"

"It doesn't." I tried to believe my answer. I didn't want it to matter. I didn't want to care about him, so I decided I wouldn't. He paused for a minute before nodding. "Sorry I made you worry."

"Okay." He said, turning his back and walking out of the garage. I frowned and felt my eyes start to sting as mascara mixed with tears.


	7. Chapter 7

**Quick update, shorter due to how I wanted to separate some events. Hope you enjoy and review! THANK YOU!**

Chapter 7

"Get up." I sat up in the bed and squinted at the light shining in my eyes. Happy was standing on the side of the bad, staring down at me. I pulled the sheet up under my chin and sat up. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" I had been staying in a different room for the past few days and finally started adjusting to the new time zone. Gemma had me working in the garage office during the day and at night I usually spent time at the bar or in the room drawing. Clay didn't want me wandering off until they settled something with some ATF agent. Since I had work during the day, it didn't bother me as much to stick around the clubhouse. "I have to work."

"You got the day off. Get up and get dressed." Happy said before turning and leaving. I groaned and dropped the sheet. It wasn't like he hadn't seen it all before, I just didn't want to give him another free look. We hadn't spoken much since our argument in the garage. There was the occasional nod or question and answer but that was it. I'd seen him disappear down the dorm hall with some sweetbutt at the last club party and decided to keep my distance. It was easier that way.

"I'm not going until you tell me where it is you're dragging me off to." I said firmly. Happy turned around on the stool and looked me up and down. I was wearing a red and blue plaid shirt and some dark blue skinny jeans, it wasn't anything special but his eyes widened all the same. I twisted my mouth impatiently and waited for his answer.

"We're going on a ride. Just trust me." He said, standing up and tossing his water bottle into the trash can across the bar. I couldn't resist a little chuckle at the idea of trusting him. "Come on."

"You're bossy for eight in the morning." I said, following him outside. He glanced back but didn't say anything until we reached his bike. He handed me a helmet, but it wasn't his. I hesitated and turned it over in my hands.

"It's not a big deal." He said. That answered the question of whether this was mine or not. I found the corners of my mouth turning up in a small smile as I put the shiny, black helmet on. Happy gave me a hand before he started the bike. I didn't understand why he would get me a helmet after the last few days. He and most of the others were going into Stockton soon and I was planning on being far from Charming by the time they got out. Still, I decided to be polite and take the gift. At least it made me feel better that he was able to wear a helmet on the ride as well.

"Can you tell me where we're going now?" We had been riding for over and hour and had just stopped at a gas station for fuel. I had gone inside to use the restroom and grab a couple waters. When I came back outside, Happy was watching me with one of those annoying smirks.

"To look at some trees." He said, twisting off the top to the water I had given him. I blinked and wondered if the sun was getting to him. Trees? We were riding for over an hour to look at trees?

"Happy, we had trees in Belfast." I laughed. He shook his head as he chugged the water.

"You'll like it. Besides, you're off the lot. Thought you'd be happy." He tossed the emptied bottle into the trash and sat on the motorcycle sideways, stretching his legs out towards the fuel pump. I finished my water and stretched my arms high above my head. I felt the wind touching my bare stomach and dropped my arms quickly. "Since when are you shy?"

"I'm not." I said, putting my helmet on as he straddled the bike. He shook his head but if he said anything else I couldn't hear him over the engine starting. I climbed on behind him and rested my hands on his sides. We rode for about a half an hour longer before I saw why he was taking me to look at some trees. These trees were massive, the largest that I had ever seen. Happy stopped the bike in a parking lot and I slid off, looking around at all the towering giants in awe. Happy was smiling when he stepped in front of me and started undoing my helmet strap. I had completely forgotten about it.

"You had trees in Belfast, huh?" Happy said, looking up and around at the surrounding trees. I shook my head, glad that he hadn't ruined the surprise by explaining. "These are all redwoods."

"So your charter is named after these?" I said, walking over and laying my hand on the bark of a particularly large tree. I quickly realized that what I said may have sounded insulting. "I get it. I can't think of anything that could be stronger than these. They're beautiful."

"Yeah." I looked over, surprised by his answer. He wasn't looking at the trees though. He was just watching me. My smile fell slowly. I had been avoiding him for a reason. "I want to see you after I get out, Skye."

"Happy, don't do this." I said, shaking my head. Why did he have to ruin a good day. He moved to stand in front of me again and searched my eyes. I looked away quickly. "I'm not made for this life."

"Skye, nothing is going to happen to you." He said, moving his palm to rest on my cheek. I sighed and put my hand on top of his.

"Maybe I won't get kidnapped like Tara or raped like Gemma. What about everything else, Happy? The sweetbutts and the long rides? That's part of your life to." I said, trying to remind myself of all the reasons I never wanted to be involved with a member of the MC. It was hard to concentrate with him standing so close to me.

"The rides aren't always long and the sweetbutts don't mean anything." His voice was low and gravelly. I closed my eyes and dropped my head a little. He didn't understand, I doubted he would. "I don't do the old lady, girlfriend shit. You're different though, Skye."

"Maybe for now. Maybe for a little while after you got back. Then I would be just one of the other gashes to you." He stopped my reasoning with a hard kiss. I wanted to resist. I wanted to not give in. My entire body felt like it was on fire. Once my lips moved against his, I lost the ability to pull myself away from him. I pulled his neck down towards me as he pushed my back against the tree. We barely avoided public indecency, thanks to a car driving by. The sound of the car brought me to my senses and I gently pushed Happy back.

"Come on, there's a good diner up here." Happy said. I was still catching my breath and he had completely shifted gears from nearly having sex against a tree to eating. I followed him back to the motorcycle and then we rode down to the diner for lunch.

"This is good." I said, taking another bite of the burger. Happy had laughed when I had ordered a burger and chips. I quickly changed it to a burger and fries with a blush.

"I know." He said with a smirk as he stole a "fry". It was times like this and the café that made me think I was crazy for avoiding a relationship with him. I knew it was a bad idea though. It would never work. "Where are you going to be when I get out?"

"This again? I don't know, Happy. Unlike Ireland, this is a big country." I said with a small smile. He shook his head and leaned back in the booth.

"You've got a few months while I'm inside. West Coast is the same up and down, so is the East Coast. The middle doesn't matter." He took his lighter out and started flipping the top open and closed. I twisted my mouth and shook my head. "Just think about it."

"I can do that." I didn't tell him that I had already made up my mind. I didn't want to ruin the day we were having. "Thank you for today. It's nice to see more than the parking lot, garage and clubhouse."

"I'm glad you came with me since you've been avoiding me." He said, snapping his lighter shut. I shook my head with a laugh.

"That was mutual." I said, turning my head to the side a little. I liked this side of him. He wasn't always an asshole. It was what I didn't know about him, what I assumed about him that I didn't trust. The Unholy Ones patch on his chest was one I'd seen few members wear and no one ever talked about it.

"Let's get back on the road, baby." I paused at the pet name but didn't make a fuss about it. Happy took his sweatshirt off as we walked outside. "Here, you'll get cold."

"Thanks." I said, pulling it over my head. It looked like a dress on me but it was warm and smelt like a mix of his cologne and smoke. I got on the back of the bike and wrapped my arms around him, settling in for the long ride back to Charming.


	8. Chapter 8

**a/n: So sorry for the delay! I've been out of town and doing vacation-like things. Please read and review!**

Chapter 8

"So you're talking again?" Trinity asked as I rolled over and let the pillow hold the phone to my ear. Trinity and I made a point to talk at least twice a week. I knew my phone bill would be through the roof but she was my best friend. I needed to hear her voice and talk things out with her.

"I guess so. He asked me to be here when he gets out." I said, still unable to believe he'd asked. Trinity started choking on something.

"He did what?" She coughed. I repeated what I'd told her with a nod. "Well, are you going to?"

"I didn't leave Belfast to make more bad decisions in a different country. Being with him wouldn't be any different than being with Elijah." I said, rolling onto my back. I sighed and stared up at the ceiling. "Why does he have to be in the club, Trin?"

"Because that's how you met him and you have a thing for bad boys. The club isn't the same as the IRA, Skye. The club doesn't kidnap a family for themselves." I frowned and felt guilty for worrying about Happy. Kerrianne was still stuck with Jimmy and Chibs had to leave Ireland without his family, again. Whatever was or wasn't going on with Happy and I was trivial compared to what they had dealt with for years. "Are you listening?"

"What? Sorry, I couldn't sleep last night. What were ya saying?" I asked with a big yawn. It was after midnight in Charming. Trinity was just waking up for class.

"I was telling ya not to judge everyone off who ya've known before. Ya also need to remember being there when he gets out also means ya would be back in Charming. It isn't just tha man, it's the town and the club to." Trinity said.

"Since when are you the smart one?" I asked with a laugh. What she said made since.

"Well, my best mate moved across the pond so I don't get any of her drunk wisdom to guide my life by anymore." Trinity teased.

"Aw, Trin!" I missed her terribly and really hoped I could get her on a plane to visit me once I settled in somewhere.

"Aye, I'm playing. Get some sleep, love." She said. I yawned and nodded my head. "Goodnight, Skye."

"Aye, good'ay Trin." I ended the call and rolled over, holding a spare pillow in my arms. I never would have thought that getting to America would be the easy part. Now I was faced with decision after decision. Whatever decision I made, it would bring up five more decisions to make. Everything had pros and cons. I really hated being an adult sometimes.

"Sorry, didn't mean to frighten ya." I put my hands up with an apologetic smile. The brunette sitting at the bar looked tired. I glanced around, wondering if she was waiting on the club to get back from whatever they'd rushed off to. It was late afternoon and they had been gone since morning. "I'm Skye."

"So, you're the one Gemma told me about?" She nodded. "I'm Tara."

"Aye, I've heard about ya to. You waiting on Jax?" I moved behind the bar and raised up on my toes to grab a bottle of Jameson. "Want a glass?"

"I can't." She pointed down to her stomach and shrugged her shoulders. I raised my brow. She was kidnapped and preganant at the same time? Why was she still sitting in the clubhouse? I would think I would have run far away already.

"Congratulations. I'll take a shot for ya." I unscrewed the cap and poured a glass. Tara smiled and watched on. She seemed tired. "So, how long have ya been with Jax?"

"We were together in high school but we only recently reconnected. I left for a while. I ended up right back here though. Charming has a way of sucking you back in and never letting you out." I raised my brow and took a drink. "Sorry. It's been a long week."

"Aye." I didn't know what else to say. I thought my week had been long but it couldn't compare to what little I knew of Tara's. I heard motorcycles rumbling in the distance and filled my glass again. Tara chuckled. I raised the glass to her and agreed with her previous statement, "long week."

I sipped on my drink as the guys filled in from what looked to be a successful ride. I was used to SAMBEL returning with grumbles and grimaces more often than not. The Charming guys seemed happy to be back at the clubhouse and pleased with themselves. It was a nice change. Tara took a deep breath and slid off the stool as Jax walked over.

Remembering how Jax was with Trinity, pre-family reunion, made my stomach churn a little. I didn't know much if anything about Jax and Tara's relationship but I hated the idea of cheating. He seemed smitten with her though. Maybe it was the stress of Abel being missing that had almost driven him to Trinity. Whatever it was, I was hoping that they would work through it for the children's sakes.

"Hello?" I blinked and looked up to see Happy sitting on the stool that Tara had vacated. He slid the bottle away from me with a shake of his head.

"I'm not drunk. I was just thinking." I rolled my eyes and took another drink from my glass. "Good ride?"

"Could've been worse." He said with a shrug. The conversation seemed to hit a wall. Normal people would have asked what I was thinking about or at least elaborate on their answer to my question. Not Happy though. He took my glass out of my hand and polished it off. "Come on."

"I'm not a sweet butt, Happy. I don't jump when you tell me to." He shook his head and gave me a pointed glare. I folded my arms across my chest and waited for him to either ask me to go with him nicely or move on.

"You're a pain in the ass sometimes. Will you just follow me?" He said through his teeth. It wasn't exactly the niceness I was hoping for, but it was Happy. I couldn't expect miracles. I walked around the bar and followed him down the hall. Once we were inside his room, he closed and locked the door. "We're going inside tomorrow morning."

"What?" I furrowed my brow, wondering if I could have actually heard him correctly. He nodded and I opened my mouth to speak. Nothing came out. I didn't know what I was supposed to say. I thought they'd have a week, maybe two before they would leave. My head was swimming.

"Moved it up as a show of good faith. ATF thought we'd skipped the country. Can't prove much though." Happy shrugged his vest off and hung it on the back of the door. I still didn't know what to say. "Thought you might want to know."

"Aye, thanks." I said. He peeled his shirt off and tossed it in an empty laundry basket while I just stood in the middle of the room, still quite speechless. "I can write ya. Ya know, if you want me to."

"What about?" He asked, discarding his undershirt in the basket as well. I didn't have an answer. It was hard enough to hold a conversation with him, let alone find something to write about. I shrugged and looked away as he started undoing his belt. "You going to be here when I get out?"

"I agreed to think about it." I said, looking back at him with a frown. He pointed towards the bathroom door.

"When I get out of the shower, Skye." I felt my cheeks start to burn with embarrassment. He laughed and toed his boots off. "Welcome to join me."

"I already took one. I'll wait." I said slowly. "I'll wait for you to get out of the shower."

"All I was asking about, baby." He chuckled as he walked into the bathroom. He stepped out of his boxers, not bothering to shut the door. It wasn't like I hadn't seen him naked, I just didn't trust myself to see him like that and not hook up with him again. There was enough confusion without him fucking me silly. I moved to the bed and laid across it, my feet hanging off the side and my arms stretched above me.

Happy's shower didn't last long or I lost track of some time. Either way, before I knew it he was standing over me in nothing but a towel. I groaned and sat up. His skin was still damp and I saw a few beads of water on his chest and stomach. I closed my eyes and shook my head, knowing that I was about to make a mistake.

"Kiss me." I said, eyes still closed. I felt his lips crash into mine and all of my reservations were in the wind. I moved a hand to the back of his neck and pulled him with me as I laid back down. He willingly followed me, moving his mouth from my lips to my neck. A soft moan escaped my lips as his teeth raked over my skin.

It was just as good as the first time, maybe better since I wasn't so nervous. Afterwards, I found myself lying beside him in the bed wearing nothing but his t-shirt. He was lying on his back staring at the ceiling while I studied his tattoos some more. It seemed like every time I looked, I found one I hadn't seen the last time.

"If you go to Bakersfield, you should go to Café Mira." Happy said, breaking the silence that we had fallen into after getting into bed together. I looked up at his face and he nodded. "My Ma opened it when I was little. She ran it and cooked until a few years ago when she got sick. They still use her recipes, though. You should go."

"Okay, I will." I said with a smile. He looked back up at the ceiling after giving me a quick, half smile. "Is there anything else I should see or do?"

"In Bakersfield? Nah, it's pretty boring. Where else are you going?" He asked.

"I'm not sure yet. I'm going to see his old unit and then I thought about heading to Vegas on my way East." I said, still unsure of where I was going or even when. He shook his head and propped himself up on his elbows.

"Vegas is too rough for you." He said, looking serious. I rolled my eyes. "I'm serious. You're a young, sexy woman travelling alone. Stay the fuck out of Vegas."

"Fine." I hadn't thought of it that way. I was going to be travelling alone. "Thank you."

"Just don't want you ending up dead in some gutter." He muttered, lying back down. I knew he was trying to play cool. I didn't mind too much though. It kept things light, even if he was talking about me ending up dead in some gutter.

"What about out East?" I asked, glancing up at him. I smiled at his closed eyes and realized that his breathing had leveled out. Knowing what was coming tomorrow, I didn't dare wake him by getting out of the bed and going to my room like I had planned. Instead, I carefully rolled over, back towards him, and closed my eyes. It didn't take him long to follow and wrap and arm around me.

I woke up to an empty bed and started feeling light headed. His vest was gone and so were his boots. I shook my head and threw the covers off. Without thinking about what I was or wasn't wearing, I yanked the bedroom door open and took off down the hall. The clubhouse was empty, so I ran outside. The lot was completely empty. Not motorcycles, no cars, even the garage was closed up. I felt my chest start to heave and tears started rolling down my cheeks.

"Skye. Look at me." I opened my eyes and found myself still lying in the bed with Happy. I was flat on my back and he was laying on his side. He moved the hair out of my face and kissed my forehead. "You're alright."

"Bloody hell, I'm sorry." I felt like such a fool and I had woken him up on his last night in his own bed. He shook his head and moved his arm back down to my waist where it had been when I went to sleep.

"Want to tell me what that was about?" I could feel the breath of his words on my shoulder as I rolled back onto my side. I scooted back towards him and he held me tighter. After a few, answerless moments, he kissed my shoulder. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Happy." I said, closing my eyes and hoping the dream didn't come back. I bit my lip and thought about what had upset me the most. I didn't like feeling alone but more than that, I didn't like not being able to tell Happy goodbye. I specifically didn't like him being gone. I wasn't able to go back to sleep, so I knew exactly when Happy woke up a few hours later.

"There should be breakfast in there." Happy said when I rolled over to face him. I had heard some noises coming from the kitchen earlier and could smell the breakfast meats. Instead of moving to go join everyone else, I kissed him softly on the lips. He groaned and pulled me closer.

"This will probably have to last you for a while. What do you want?" I whispered. He kissed me just as softly before rolling onto his back, pulling me along with him so that I was sitting on him cowgirl style. He ran his rough palms up each of my thighs and let his head fall back onto the pillow.

"I want to watch you. Don't close your eyes." He grabbed the bottom of his t-shirt that I was wearing and pulled it off as I sat up. I watched him bite his bottom lip and thought I may come undone right then. I helped him out of his boxers and then got to work. "Take it slow, baby. I want to see everything."

"Like this?" I slowed down and rocked my hips back and forth as I moved up and down his shaft. He squeezed my thighs lightly and nodded with a groan. I felt him getting harder inside of me. Just when I was about to find my release, he grabbed my hips and pulled me off of him. I gasped as he threw me onto my back. "Happy?"

"I want to taste you. See what I'm losing." He muttered. I grabbed handfuls of the sheets, trying to hold off as long as I could as he worked wonders with his tongue and mouth. He pulled back and licked his bottom lip. "Fucking perfect, Skye."

He took over and finally let me have my release after a few quick, hard thrusts. I dropped my ankles from his shoulders and whimpered. The pleasure was almost painful. He smirked and climbed off the bed, walking into the bathroom to get cleaned up. Once the high levelled out, reality hit me again.

"You're not going to be here when I get out, are you?" He asked as I pulled on my jeans from yesterday. I hesitated before looking up and meeting his eyes.

"I can't be, Happy. I'm not cut out for this life." I had hoped my answer would at least sound strong. Instead my voice was barely a whisper. He nodded and buckled his belt. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." His tone told me that whatever feelings he'd had for me were put away, shut down. I dropped my eyes back down to the shoes I was stepping into, wishing he could have not asked or I could have lied. "Be careful, Skye."

"I will be. You too, okay?" I said, catching his hand as he walked past. He paused and looked back at me.

"Yeah. Come on, you need to eat." He said, opening the door. I followed him out to the family style breakfast. He kept his distance while I talked to a few other members and Tara. When Jax took off his vest and handed it to Tara, it was obvious they were about to leave. I watched Happy give his vest to Kozik after giving him a brotherly hug. Instead of following everyone else outside, I stayed behind and poured myself a glass of whiskey. I sat at the empty bar and I realized that the few words we'd exchanged before breakfast would be our goodbyes. He was gone and soon, I would be leaving to.

 **So? What now?**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

I spent a month working with Gemma in the office after Happy and the others left. Gemma started to become a mother-like figure and Tara helped fill some of the void in my heart that had developed after I left Trinity. I was starting to get comfortable. That's when I knew I had to leave. Gemma through a fit and told me I was running away from a good thing. Tara, always the opposite of Gemma, gave me a big hug and made me promise to keep in touch.

"Do you need a few more minutes?" The older woman asked, putting my glass of water down in front of me. I handed her the menu and shook my head.

"No, thank you. Can I get the club sandwich and chips?" I smiled up at her as she nodded and jotted the order down. Ordering chips reminded me of the dinner with Happy, only this time I really did want the crispy, potato chips. I sighed and leaned back against the seat, wondering why I couldn't get the man out of my head. I wrote him the day that I left Charming. It was a short, maybe five line letter that let him know I was leaving Charming and asking him to be safe. I could have written five pages but I didn't.

"How was everything, sweetheart?" The elderly woman at the register asked.

"Aye, it was wonderful. Thank you." I said.

"Let me guess, Ireland?" She gave me my change and a smile. "What brings you to Bakersfield?"

"Aye, Belfast since I was a baby. My father was from Bakersfield. I wanted to check it out and a friend told me to stop by here for some good food." I explained. Her eyebrows raised.

"Who was your father, sweetheart? I've lived here for years. Maybe I knew your family." She walked around the counter and I noticed her relying heavily on a wooden cane.

"Scott Fallon. He enlisted when he was eighteen so I'm not sure if his family stayed around here or not." I saw her eyes smile before it crossed her lips.

"Oh, sweetheart yes. They lived a few streets over from me for years. Your father was a good boy. He was always helping out around the neighborhood. I always knew he'd turn out okay." She said, leading me to the booth that I had been sitting at.

"Is any of his family around anymore?" I knew it was a long shot but it didn't hurt to ask. I felt a little deflated when she shook her head.

"No. I'm sorry, sweetheart. Your father was an only child. Margaret and Robert passed a few years ago." She patted my hand that was resting on the table. "Now, who is it that sent you all the way to this shitty little hole in the wall?"

"It's far from shitty, ma'am. I loved my sandwich." I was surprised by her description of the place. "Happy, my friend, he said his mother opened and ran this place for a long time."

"Oh that brat. He talks like I'm already in the grave. Don't you tell him I was working." She chuckled. I blinked. This was his mother? She was so... nice. "You're much prettier than most of his bearded, biker friends I've met."

"I hope so." I laughed. I felt an ache in my chest. We were barely friends. "I should probably get on the road soon. My car isn't exactly reliable and I don't want to be stranded on the side of the road at night."

"Okay sweetheart. It was good to meet a friend of my boy's. You take care of yourself and stop by any time." She said, standing and stretching her arms out for a hug. I gave her a careful hug, hoping not to hurt her. She swatted me on the arm when I pulled back. "You and that Happy. I'm not made of glass."

"Aye." I nodded and moved my bag onto my shoulder before exiting the restaurant. I glanced at the clock on the center console of the car and twisted my mouth. It was getting late in Belfast but I needed someone to talk to. I pulled my phone out and looked at it, trying to make a decision.

"Hello?" I turned the car back onto the main road, deciding to drive around for a little bit before getting back on the highway. "Skye, are you okay?"

"No. I'm a bloody idiot." I said. "I left Charming. Now I'm in Bakersfield where my da was from and who do I run into? Happy's mum!"

I explained everything that happened, including what had brought me to the restaurant in the first place. I started to wonder if Happy didn't know his mother was still working there. Had he sent me there to meet her on purpose. I bit my lip, wishing he was available to yell at.

"Ya miss him, Skye. Ya aren't an idiot." Trinity said. I sighed and brought the car to a stop at a traffic light.

"I'm an idiot for missing the man." I muttered. "I did the right thing, right Trin? I can't stay there in Charming for him."

"I dunno, Skye. Ya have some time. Don't rush things. He's not going anywhere for months. Ya just need to focus on you for now." I could hear a yawn in her voice and knew it was selfish to have called her.

"Thank you, love. I'm sorry for calling ya." I said.

"Call me anytime, doll. Be careful on the road, ok?" She asked.

"Aye, I will be." I ended the call and started looking around at my surroundings some more. It was so different than Belfast. Everything here was spread out and spacious. I wondered why he chose to leave in the first place. Maybe he was like me. Maybe he was looking for something more.

Instead of wasting what money I had on a hotel room, I drove for a couple hours until I reached Ventura. I had seen pictures of it online and wanted to check it out. I parked my car in a lot right on the beach and leaned back in the driver's seat. After not being able to fall asleep for almost an hour, I grabbed my backpack and headed down towards the water. It was low-tide but I decided to stick to the fluffy, dry white sand closer to the parking lot just in case. I sat down and watched the waves for a few minutes before digging my notebook out of my bag.

"He probably won't even read this." I muttered halfway through my letter to Happy. I wasn't even sure if I would send it off or not but writing passed some time. I wrote to him about driving around Bakersfield and running into someone that used to know my father and his parents. I left out the bit about it being his mother, since she asked me not to tell him she was there. I also wrote about the beautiful drive down to Ventura and the beach itself. When I signed my name at the end of the letter, I could barely hold my eyes open. I returned to my car, locked my doors and caught a few hours of sleep before the sunrise woke me up.

I dropped the letter and then spent a few hours on the beach before grabbing some fast food and heading down to Fort Irvin to visit Dad's old unit. I knew there was a good chance that no one he served with would still be there but I wanted to see what he saw, be where he was.

"Hello?" I cradled the phone with my shoulder.

"Hey." I almost slammed on the brakes from shock. I didn't have a chance to look at the caller ID before answering. "You there?"

"Yeah, sorry. Hi." I didn't know what else to say. I never expected him to call.

"Hi. Where are you?" The reception was horrible so I pulled over on the shoulder to focus on the call.

"On the road to Fort Irvin. Are you okay?" I still wasn't sure why he'd called.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I got your letter." So that was why he was calling, the incredibly short letter I sent him. Well, he was about to get a much longer one.

"Yeah, I just thought you might want to know that I left. I don't know. I'm sorry." I was fumbling over my words, wondering why I had written him at all. I already told him I wouldn't be around when he got out. Why was I dragging it on?

"Don't apologize, girl. You want me to stop calling you?" He asked. I bit my lip, wondering what the honest answer was.

"No, that's okay. I wrote you again. I was on the beach last night and couldn't sleep. You don't have to read it." I said quickly, regretting dropping it in the post box.

"Don't have anything better to do, Skye. I gotta call my ma. Be safe." The call ended and I felt myself start to smile. I felt like an idiot, sitting on the side of the highway smiling like a fool. I took a deep breath and shook the smile off my face before merging back onto the highway. Maybe Trinity was right about not judging Happy off of past boyfriends. I was starting to wonder if maybe coming back to Charming after seeing what there wasn't such a horrible idea. Luckily, there was some time to decide.

"ID." The guard at the gate said curtly. I dug in my bag and pulled out my ID from Belfast and my American passport. It was long expired but I hoped it would be enough to prove citizenship. He raised an eyebrow at me before walking to the small guard building with my credentials. It felt like hours before he and another soldier walked back to my car that I had since turned off to save gas. "Why are you trying to enter the Post?"

"Uh, well, my father's unit was based here. I just wanted to visit." I had a feeling they weren't going to be pleased with that answer.

"Where is your father now?" The guard asked, looking into the back of my car, no doubt for weapons or drugs.

"He's buried in Belfast beside my mother." I said. The guard came back to the window and handed me my ID and passport.

"You'll have to turn your vehicle around. You can submit a request for a tour and a background check." I felt my heart sink. There was no bargaining or begging that would help, so I followed the other guard's directions and turned my car around. I felt warm tears running down my cheeks as I drove away.

"What'll you have, miss?" The bartender asked almost as soon as I took a seat. I ordered a whiskey leaned back in the seat. I felt so defeated. Somehow being turned away at the base made me feel more alone than ever. Luckily, there were always plenty of bars near military bases. "You look down."

"I'm good." I said, not bothering to look at him. He set the drink down in front of me and walked away to check on other patrons. I spun the glass around slowly before emptying the glass in one drink. "I'll have another one when you can."

I lost count after four or maybe six doubles. The bartender offered to call me a cab but I turned him down and settled the tab. I stumbled out of the bar and headed to my car for the night. I knew better than to drive, so I just leaned the seat back and settled in. I was sleeping pretty well until there was a loud knock on my window and a flashlight shining right in my eyes. I groaned and threw my arm up over my eyes before rolling the window down a little.

"Everything okay, ma'am?" I squinted and saw a police uniform.

"Yeah, just trying to sleep." I said, bringing the seat back up so I was sitting up straight.

"I need you to step out of the vehicle." This wasn't going to end well. I knew that as soon as the light was in my eyes. "Have you been drinking?"

"Aye." I said, not bothering to lie about it. Had I not been drunk I would have moved the car somewhere less conspicuous.

"You understand that by being in a vehicle, with possession of the keys, you can be charged with a DUI?" Just like I thought, it wasn't going to go well.

"I wasn't aware. Guess I shoulda given the keys to my car to a stranger." I said. The officer furrowed his brow. "What now?"

"I need to see your license and registration. Do you have any weapons on your person or in the vehicle?" He asked, shining the light into the car. My Kahr was in the bottom of my duffle bag. I dropped my shoulders and nodded.

"Aye, there's an unloaded Kahr in the bottom of the duffle." At least it was unloaded, I thought. I stood by as one officer checked my ID and the other searched my car. It was a sobering experience. When I felt metal handcuffs on my wrists, I couldn't help but cry. It wasn't the first time I had been arrested but this time was different. This time I could see all of the plans I had made blowing away in the wind.

When we got to the police station, I learned that I was being charged with a DUI, driving without a license and possession of a firearm. It was worse than I had thought during the ride. They offered my a telephone call and begrudgingly let me get the phone number off of my cell phone.

"You better have a good reason for calling me after three in the morning." Gemma yelled into the phone. I pulled the receiver away from my ear with a grimace.

"Aye, I'm in a bit of trouble and I don't know who else to call." I was fighting back tears. I didn't want to seem weak. I hated even asking for her help.

"Where are you?" She suddenly sounded a lot more awake. I told her where I was and what happened quickly. I knew I didn't have a lot of time on the phone. "Don't say a word until the lawyer gets there."

"Okay." I muttered hanging the phone up. I felt so guilty for asking Gemma for help but she and Tara were the only people I had in the States. The only reason I had called her instead of Tara was the fear of waking Abel up. "I'm waiting on my lawyer."

"Well, you can wait in County." I nodded and followed the officer away from the phone. I wished I had drank a little more so I didn't know what was going on. "Charlotte is going to get you booked and transported."

"Aye." I was resigned to my fate and regretting every decision that had led me to California. I should have stayed in Belfast. I should never have gotten on that plane. I had all night and almost the whole following day to think about everything I should have done differently. It had me feeling sick to my stomach.

"Ms. Fallon, I'm Allie Lohen. What have you told the officers so far?" The sharply dressed woman asked me. We were sitting in a tiny room with a chair on either side of a small, square table.

"That I had been drinking and that there was an unloaded gun in my bag." I said with a shrug. She nodded and jotted a few notes down. "Could you do me a favor?"

"Possibly." She said.

"If I'm going to be in here for a while, could you get a message to someone. I just want them to know where I am and everything." I hated the thought of Trinity wondering where I was or if anything had happened to me. I would have asked her to tell Happy but I was pretty sure that Gemma would take care of that without me even asking.

"You'll be out by morning. We may have to come back for a trial but you aren't staying here. Gemma already signed paperwork agreeing for you to stay and work at the garage." I groaned, almost wishing I could stay in jail instead of going back to Charming and being under Gemma's thumb. "Do you have a record in Belfast?"

"Nothing more than disorderly conduct when I was in school. I've been cuffed a few times but never any formal charges." I explained. Her left eyebrow raised but she didn't say anything before making a few notes. "Do you know how I got here?"

"I was told. Whoever forged your passport did a frighteningly good job. I don't think that will be an issue. Luckily your dual citizenship will keep you from being deported." I hadn't even thought of that.

"Oh, okay. Good." I said, feeling overwhelmed by everything. Lohen made a few more notes and then told me she would meet me in the morning for my bail hearing. I wasn't looking forward to the possibility of having my bail denied. I spent the whole night tossing and turning and even getting sick a couple times. I felt like hell.

"Skye Fallon." I rose to my feet, unaccustomed to America's court proceedings. Lohen stood as well while the prosecution listed off my charges.

"Your honor, Ms. Fallon has dual citizenship and is a flight risk. The state requests remand." I glanced over at Lohen. She didn't look phased.

"Your honor, Ms. Fallon has agreed to hand over her passport until the trial and has employment and residence secured in Northern California." Lohen stated. The judge looked at me and nodded.

"Ms. Fallon, I'm setting your bail at twenty-thousand on condition that you forfeit your passport and maintain residence and employment until the trial date. Do you understand that any infraction of the law during your time out on bail will add to any sentence you receive and your bail will be revoked?" The judge asked.

"Yes, your honor." I said, trying my best to keep my accent out of my voice. I didn't want to give him any reason to reconsider letting me out.

An hour later, I was getting into the backseat of a black Lincoln. Lohen told me to get some rest as she got behind the wheel. I didn't have to be told twice. I closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hope two in one day makes up for the shorter length of the chapters recently! Thank you for the support!**

Chapter 10

"Well, if it isn't our own little outlaw." Gemma said, greeting me with a hug as I climbed out of the back of Lohen's Lincoln. I groaned but gave her a hug, she was the one that bailed me out and sent Lohen after all. "Opie, help the girl with her stuff."

"I can get it, Gemma." I shook my head but she wasn't hearing it. Opie grabbed both of my bags and headed towards the clubhouse.

"Sweetheart, you look like hell. You need to get inside, take a shower and go to bed. We can talk later." She waved me on to follow Opie before turning to speak to Lohen. Despite the sleep I got on the way back to Charming, I was still exhausted and a shower sounded wonderful. Opie dropped my bags off in Happy's room.

"Uh, Opie? That's Happy's room." I said, twisting my mouth. It was a dorm like apartment, not his house but it was still his place. I didn't want to be in there without him.

"Yeah, he was pretty clear on you staying in his room. He said he'll call you tomorrow." Opie said with an apologetic smile. I sighed, dreading the hypocritical lecture from the man that would be calling me from a prison payphone.

"Thanks for carrying this in." I said, stepping into the room as he walked into the hallway. He nodded with a warm smile. I closed the door and looked around the room. It was pristine, just like it had been every time I had seen it. I made a mental note to try and keep it as neat as possible.

I relied on muscle memory and self automation to take a shower and get into the bed. I was too tired to really think about what I was doing. The bed was much more comfortable than the thin mat in the jail cell and the backseat of Lohen's car. Even though I knew the sheet were clean, the bed still seemed to smell like Happy. It was oddly comforting.

"Hi." I didn't bother looking at the phone screen before answering the call. I knew Trinity wouldn't be calling me at that time and Opie had warned me that Happy was going to call. "Your bed is a lot bigger without you in it."

"Glad you didn't lose your sense of humor in jail." He grumbled. He didn't seem amused. "What the fuck were you thinking?"

"Don't you lecture me from where you're sitting, Happy." I sat up in the bed with a scowl. "I wasn't driving. I was just sleeping in the car and those assholes arrested me. I guess I would have been better off driving shit-faced."

"So you'd rather be dead than arrested?" I heard him sigh and I rolled my eyes. "Don't worry about the legal fees. I'll cover it."

"Absolutely not. I'm not owing you money, Happy." I said, throwing the covers off and getting out of the bed. I started pacing the room. "I did this. I'm an adult. I'll take the consequences and handle things myself. I don't need your help."

"You're being a stubborn bitch. She's the club's lawyer. Don't waste your money, Skye. You need it." He was really starting to get on my nerves.

"Stop speaking to me like a child, damnit. I know what I need. I can even manage to wipe my own ass and make sure I don't starve. It's amazing." I snapped.

"She won't take your money so stop bitching. I got to go. Don't be a bitch next time I call you." He growled. I jammed the end button on the phone before throwing it on the bed. He was the most infuriating man I'd ever met, even more than Elijah. I scowled at the phone for a minute before going into the bathroom to fix my hair and brush my teeth.

"Rough morning?" Tara asked as I walked out into the main room. I grunted and sat down on the couch across from her. She was giving Abel his bottle and looking at her phone. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"About what? Happy being a hypocritical jackass?" I grumbled. She looked up at me. "Sorry."

"No, I get it. I was talking about what happened though." She said with a sad smile.

"There's not much to say. I went to see my Dad's old base, I couldn't get past the gate, I found a bar and drank some whiskey and then slept in the car. You know the rest." I assumed Gemma had already told her everything else.

"So, that's why you went to the bar?" I shrugged, not interested in talking about what had led up to the drinking and eventual arrest. "I'm sorry, Skye."

"It's not your fault." I offered her the best smile I could muster but I could tell it wasn't very convincing. "I guess I should go talk to Gemma. See if I can't squeeze all the bad conversations I can into one hour."

"Don't forget, Jax is her son. She's used to helping him out of trouble." Tara said with a laugh. I smiled and stood up, giving Abel a little wave when he glanced over at me. I made my way across the lot to the garage office where Gemma was doing paperwork. It was Sunday, so the garage was closed but I knew there was probably a backlog of paperwork.

"Thank you for helping me, Gemma." I stood in front of her desk and crammed my hands into the front pocket of my jeans. She looked over her glasses at me and I started rocking back and forth on my heels.

"You're welcome." She said, looking back down at the papers in front of her. I bit my lip and waited for a second.

"That's it? No lecture or anything?" I was expecting her to chew me out for waking her up at least.

"You're an adult. I'm sure there's nothing I could say that you haven't already said to yourself. Just don't skip out on your bail." She said, signing the bottom of what looked like an order form. "I'm almost done here. You can start working tomorrow morning."

"Okay, thank you." I said, turning to leave. I heard her move and I paused. "Yeah?"

"One more thing. You get anything more than buzzed from now on and I'm going to kick your scrawny ass." I ground my teeth together, wondering where she got off telling me how to handle my drinking. Still, this was her business and she could kick me out of the clubhouse if I didn't do as she said. I nodded and left the office.

After a few days, I settled back into the swing of things around TM. I spent most of my time working and hanging out with Tara. Happy and I eventually stopped being mad at one another and I started writing to him every week or so. I also came clean with Trinity and told her what had happened. I wished she had yelled or thrown a fit. Instead, she just sounded disappointed and sad. It almost hurt worse than knowing I wasn't going to be able to see the country like I had planned.

"Skye, do you have a moment?" I looked up from the computer to see Lohen standing in the doorway. I nodded and she closed the door behind her. "I may have some good news."

"I'm all ears." I said, leaning forward. We had been meeting once a week for the last month, trying to make the best defense possible.

"Were you Mirandized at any point?" She asked, sitting at the edge of the sofa. I furrowed my brow, wondering what she meant.

"Mirandized?" I repeated. She nodded and seemed to realize that I didn't have a clue what she was talking about.

"Of course you don't know what that is, I'm sorry. When someone is arrested in the United States, the officers are required to Mirandize you. You would be given your rights in a very specific way. It starts out with, 'you have the right to remain silent'. Did anyone say that to you? It's very important." Lohen said, speaking slowly as if I barely understood English. I racked my brain but couldn't remember a single time anyone said something like that to me.

"No. No one said anything like that. I told them I wasn't going to talk to them after Gemma told me to wait for a lawyer and that's when they sent me to booking and everything." I explained, remembering the officer's annoyed attitude when I refused to talk to them any further. Lohen smiled and rose to her feet.

"It may cost us a trip back down there but this case is all but dropped. You have citizenship here. You should have been given your rights. Without that, anything they asked you or you answered is inadmissible." Lohen was speaking quickly again, obviously excited.

"The didn't ask me anything after they arrested me. They just gave me my phone call and then took me to booking." I said, not understanding how what she was saying applied to me. She shook her head.

"Trust me, it doesn't matter. The law is clear. I'll be in touch." She said, strolling over to the door. I watched her leave, still a little lost as to how she was going to get me off the hook. She was the one that went to law school though.

"She looked happy." Kozik said, walking into the office and standing right in front of the fan to cool off. I nodded and leaned back in the chair.

"She thinks she can get the case dropped." I said with a shrug. Kozik smiled and nodded with enthusiasm.

"That's awesome, Skye. We should celebrate." He said with a wink. The day I got back to Charming, he'd asked me if Happy and I were together. After I assured him we weren't, he started dropping hints and flirting. I shook my head with a laugh.

"I'm not counting my eggs just yet." I didn't want to get my hopes up only to hear that the case was still open.

"Aw, come on. Lohen's good. She's got the club out of worse than a DUI and an unloaded 9mm." Kozik laughed. I smiled and took a deep breath. He was charming and sweet but every time I thought about taking him up on his offer for a drink or a date, something just felt off about it.

"Ask me again if the case gets dropped." I said to avoid shutting him down on the spot. He gave me a big smile and a wink before going back to work in the garage. I finished the orders and paperwork for the day and headed inside to get cleaned up for girls' night with Tara. I decided not to say anything about the talk with Lohen. I didn't want Tara to be let down when it didn't pan out.

"Hey, cute dress." Tara said as I got into the passenger seat of her car.

"Thanks, I've had if for a while." We headed out to Lodi for my new favorite Italian spot. "You're getting bigger, mama."

"That's not a compliment, even if I'm pregnant." Tara laughed. I rolled my eyes playfully. We chatted about a surgery she'd done earlier that day until our dinner came. "What's on your mind?"

"It's nothing." I said, shaking my head as I took a sip of wine. Ever since Gemma's threat, I'd been cutting back on drinking and sticking to wine or beer. Tara pursed her lips impatiently. "It's stupid. Kozik has been flirting and wanting to go get a drink and stuff."

"He's a sweet one, Skye. If you tell him to stop, he will." Tara said. I shook my head and stabbed at my lasagna. "Is it that you don't want to go out with him or something else?"

"Both? I love him like a brother but even more than that, I don't feel right when I think about going out with him. I almost feel guilty." I admitted. Tara nodded slowly.

"You feel guilty because you have feelings for Happy, maybe?" Tara suggested. I had asked myself the same question but refused to answer it. I was trying to stay in denial for as long as possible.

"I don't know. I mean, we've had sex and it would just be weird to go out with his brother, even if they aren't blood." I said. It was the partial truth but deep down I knew there was more to it than that. Tara shook her head with a laugh.

"Just keep telling yourself that, sweetie." I waved her comment off, refusing to give the topic any more thought. Happy still had just shy of a year before he got out and that was dependent upon his good behavior. I didn't need to come to any conclusions any time soon.

"So, how are you and Jax?" I asked, changing the subject. Tara smiled and ran her hand over her stomach.

"As good as we can be with him inside. We've been talking a lot though. It's nice." She said, her eyes lighting up. We talked a little about how they met and some of their past issues before we headed back to Charming.

"Thanks for the ride." I said, aggravated that I couldn't drive or even try to get a license yet. Tara promised me that she didn't mind but I still felt like a mooch. She at least let me give her gas money sometimes. As I walked into the clubhouse, my phone started vibrating in my pocket.

"Happy? How are you calling me this late?" I asked, looking at my watch to see that it was almost eleven o'clock.

"Push-over guard. What are you doing?" He asked casually.

"I just got in from dinner with Tara." I said, opening the door to his room. I hung my bag on the back of the door where he normally kept his vest.

"Sounds fun. Think you could do me a favor?" It was the first time he'd asked me for anything since he'd been inside.

"Yeah, what do you need?" I asked, pulling my shoes off before lying on the bed.

"My mom is out of medicine. I need you to take her some money down there. Her insurance doesn't cover shit." Happy sounded annoyed when he mentioned the insurance.

"Yeah, I don't mind. She's a-" I cut myself off quickly. "I mean, she's your mom."

"She was at the restaurant when you went there, wasn't she?" Happy groaned. I refused to answer but apparently he took my silence as confirmation. "She thinks I don't know she's still working when she can. Just let Opie know to give you a grand out of my cut."

"Okay. Don't let your mom know I told you that she was there, please. She's sweet but if she can put up with you she's got to be crazy by now." I teased. Happy laughed, he genuinely laughed and I couldn't help but smile.

"You didn't tell me, remember. Thanks for doing this, baby." He still called me that from time to time. It bothered me less every time he said it.

"You're welcome. Goodnight, Happy." I said, getting ready to take a shower.

"Goodnight, Skye." I smiled and ended the call. It had been a pretty good day overall. I even started hoping that Lohen could work her magic with my case.

The next morning, Opie gave me the money Happy's mom needed and told me that he'd drive me down on Saturday. I tried to tell him it wasn't necessary but he wasn't having it. I had a feeling Happy had something to do with that. I was just leaving the office for lunch when I saw Lohen's Lincoln pull onto the lot. I felt butterflies start doing barrel rolls and dive bombs in my stomach.

"We're on the docket for Monday. They're dropping all charges and dismissing your case." Lohen said with a large smile. I covered my mouth to quiet my squeal a little. I couldn't help but run over and give her a hug. She laughed and gave me a little squeeze. "Come Monday, you're free to hit the open road. Just make sure to use buses or planes unless you get a license. We'll fly down Monday morning. That drive is a bitch."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Thank you." I watched her get back in her car and realized what she'd said. I would be free on Monday. I could go back to Belfast if I bloody wanted to. I wasn't tied to Charming anymore. I could get back to seeing the country like I'd planned. It was bitter-sweet. I wasn't sure if I was ready to leave the life I'd started making for myself in Charming. The town and my pseudo-family was really starting to grow on me.


	11. Chapter 11

**I'm going to go ahead and apologize for any typos or mistakes. I could really, really use a proofreader! Alas, I hope you enjoy! This chapter is a bit longer than the last few. I am working on following chapters. I am so excited to share them with you all.**

Chapter 11

I sat on the picnic table and lit a cigarette just as the sun rose over the garage. It had been three months since the charges against me were dropped and my passport was returned. Today was the day that I was leaving Charming, again. This time I was going to head east. South hadn't really worked in my favor the last time. This time was different though. I had more money saved up after working for Gemma in the office and I had even gotten a California driver's license.

"Planning on slipping out without saying goodbye?" Chibs asked, causing me to jump at the sound of his voice. I hadn't even noticed the door open. I shrugged and coughed on the smoke that I had choked on. "Sorry, love. Didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay." I said, rubbing my chest and tossing the cigarette into the pail below me. "I'm not big on goodbyes."

"Aye, even harder when you're leaving people who care about ya. Don't think I've seen Tara happier than since you've got here." Chibs said, lighting his own cigarette. I was definitely going to miss Tara. She was like a sister, even though I had only known her for a few months.

"If I don't leave now, I never will." I said, looking down at the toes of my boots. He nodded and blew a couple smoke rings.

"He know you're leaving again?" I glanced over at him, wondering why everyone seemed to be asking me that. Happy wasn't my keeper. Sure, I cared about him but I cared about Tig and Juice to. Why didn't anyone ever ask if they knew what I was doing.

"Aye." I didn't care to elaborate. I had told him a weeks before. That's when the calls started dropping off and eventually stopped all together. It hurt more than I liked to admit. Chibs nodded and rose to his feet as I stood up. He tossed his cigarette out onto the lot and pulled me into a hug. I was going to miss him. He was a good listener and he reminded me of home.

"If ya need anything or run into any trouble, call one of us, yeah?" He said, giving me a squeeze before stepping back. I nodded and managed a small smile. Leaving wasn't easy but I didn't want to regret sticking around. I walked over to my car that I had packed the night before and climbed into the driver's seat. Chibs gave me a nod as I drove away.

My first stop was in Reno. I pulled my car onto the shoulder of the road and took a picture of the Welcome to Reno sign. I loved Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Blues and couldn't resist stopping in Reno. After grabbing some food, I continued on until I made it to the Nevada, Utah state line. I stayed over in a casino/hotel combination, even though I wasn't planning on gambling.

"There will be free breakfast from seven until eleven in the conference room. If you need anything, just call down to the front desk and we'll be happy to help you." The concierge said, handing me my room key and debit card back. I had made sure to open an account with a bank that had branches all over the country so I wouldn't run into any problems when I finally settled in somewhere. I carried my bag over to the lift, or elevator as Tara called it, and reflexively checked my phone as I waited. There was a text message from Tara and a voicemail from Gemma but that was it. Yet another day without a word from Happy but for some reason, I couldn't stop expecting him to call.

After a call to Tara and a call to Gemma, that included a lecture about not saying goodbye, I settled into the king sized bed. I flipped through the television channels, coming to a stop on Pretty Woman. I'd seen the movie dozens of times but it never got old. I didn't notice I had fallen asleep until my cellphone woke me up. The movie was over and some sales commercials were playing.

"Ello?" I muttered, unsure of what time it was or why someone would be calling me.

"Why didn't you say goodbye, blondie?" It was Kozik. As soon as I realized that, my heart sank a bit. I had lightened my hair a few more shades before I left, it was almost white.

"I'm not good at goodbyes, Koz. Sorry." I muttered, putting my head back down onto the pillow. "What time is it?"

"One-ish. Did I wake you up?" He asked, sounding pretty concerned. I yawned and nodded.

"Aye. It's okay." I said, starting to fall asleep again.

"Well, don't be a stranger and keep in touch." Kozik may have said something else but I didn't catch it. "Goodnight, Skye."

"Night." I said, tossing the phone back onto the nightstand. I rolled over and hugged one of the pillows to my chest before going back to sleep.

A few days later, I was in Chicago. I had been taking my time and making stops every so often, unconcerned with any type of timeline. I didn't have to be anywhere at any certain time.

"Hi." A man said, walking over to my car as I pumped fuel into it. I pushed my sunglasses onto the top of my head and gave him a smile. "I know this sounds lame but I just wanted to tell you that you're beautiful."

"Uh, thank you. I'm Skye." I said, offering him my hand. He took it with a large smile. He was attractive and dressed in a sharp, three piece suit. I could tell he had an important job, a business man or something like that. I was wearing a black, maxi-dress and my hair was up in a lazy bun. I didn't see where he thought that was beautiful, but I appreciated the compliment all the same.

"Jason. Do you have dinner plans, Skye?" I blinked a couple times, surprised by his confidence. It was nice though, actually being asked out by someone normal. "I'm not a serial killer or anything. Just dinner. We can even meet there."

"I was hoping to try some pizza while I'm here." I said, hanging the nozzle back up. He nodded and grabbed a piece of paper out of his car. He jotted something down and handed it over to me.

"That's the best place I know and my phone number. I'll see you there at seven. If you get lost or anything, give me a call." He was smiling brightly when I looked up from the paper. I nodded, surprised at how things were panning out.

"Sounds great." I said, opening the car door. Jason nodded as well and opened the door to his considerably nicer car. I hadn't had a meal with anyone since I left Charming and it was getting pretty lonely. It would be nice to have dinner with someone. I checked into a hotel and got in the shower. I hated the way riding in a car all day made me feel and I wanted to look somewhat presentable for dinner. A date. I wanted to look somewhat presentable for my date.

"Do you think he's a serial killer?" I asked Trinity as I lined my eyes. She had called me to check in and I told her all about my pending date with Jason.

"Nah, he said he wasn't. Then again, if I was a serial killer I wouldn't admit it either." She teased. I rolled my eyes and dropped the eyeliner back in my make-up bag. "It's just a date, Skye. You've always been a good judge of people. Have dinner and see how it goes."

"Thank, Trin." I said with a grin. I was feeling a little nervous and very excited. He was normal, or at least seemed so. He was certainly polite and very handsome. It was also the first, first date I was going to have since Elijah. I bit my lip, remembering that wasn't quite true. The ride to the Redwoods and dinner could have been a date. Neither of us called it that though and he never actually asked me out. I shook my head, refusing to focus on the past.

"Skye, you look beautiful, again." Jason said with a chuckle. He had waited outside the door and even opened it for me to walk in ahead of him. I was flattered. The host led us to a booth and handed us menus. "Did you find it okay?"

"Aye, I mean, yes. I've gotten pretty good at reading maps." I said, my cheeks warming a little. He asked what I meant and I explained how I'd been travelling across the country. "I'm headed to New York City. Cliché, I know."

"It's a nice place to visit, I just got back Sunday night. I don't think I could ever live there though. Too busy. At least Chicago goes to sleep eventually." Jason said before we gave our order to the waitress. I noticed how he didn't even seem to notice her. His eyes barely moved away from me. "What part of Ireland are you from?"

"Northern Belfast." I said, hoping he didn't ask too many questions about life there. He nodded and leaned back.

"It's a beautiful country. I've got to say I prefer Dublin over Belfast though." He said with a wink. I scoffed playfully. "Maybe I should have travelled to Belfast, we may have met earlier."

"It's a big city. What exactly do you do that has you travelling all over? I'm guessing business." I said with a grin. He chuckled and shook his head.

"I'm I that easy to read? Well, you're half-right at least. I'm in corporate law." The conversation paused as the waiter brought our food out. "What about you, Skye? What has you jetsetting across the world?"

"It's a long story. I just came to visit my father's home and then decided to travel a little." I skipped the details on how I'd come to America. He would probably assume I flew over like every other person would.

"Your father was American?" I nodded and put a slice of pizza on my plate. "When are you planning on going back to Belfast?"

"I'm not sure. It just depends on whether or not I find something worth staying here for." I instantly realized how that sounded. I wasn't trying to come on to him or flirt. It was the truth. I dropped my eyes to my food and took a small bite, testing it out. I smiled and covered my mouth as I swallowed. "This is amazing."

"Yes, it is." He hadn't touched his pizza. He was just looking at me. My cheeks warmed and I couldn't resist smiling. We talked some more throughout dinner and I felt myself relaxing. He seemed like a genuinely nice man. After he paid the bill, which he'd insisted on, we headed outside. "I had a really great time tonight, Skye."

"I did to. It was nice to share a meal with someone else." I said, twisting my ring around my finger. He nodded with a smile.

"Can I walk you to your car? Chicago can get a little rough at night." I didn't want to bruise his ego by telling him about just how rough Belfast was, so I just nodded, adjusting my bag on my shoulder. He walked alongside me, keeping his hand on the middle of my back. "I guess this is you."

"It is. Thank you, Jason." We had stopped on the sidewalk beside my car. I knew what was going to happen. He was going to kiss me. When he brushed my hair behind my ear and moved closer, I knew I was right. I just wasn't sure how I felt about it. I should be thrilled. He was attractive, successful, funny and kind. What would anyone want beyond that? When our lips met, it felt nice. I kissed him back. His left hand travelled down to the side of my neck and our bodies were just barely touching.

"I think your phone is ringing." He whispered, breaking the kiss. I bit my bottom lip and opened my bag, careful not to let him see my gun. The number on the screen wasn't saved under any contact but I knew who it was. After all this time, he was calling me. Did he have some type of sixth sense? I hesitated before putting the phone back in my bag. "You don't need to get that?"

"No." I gave him a quick kiss and smiled. "Thank you for dinner."

"You're welcome. I had a good time." He said, running his hand down my arm. "How long until you leave for New York?"

"I'm not sure. Why don't we grab coffee in the morning and I'll let you know." I offered. He smiled and agreed. We were going to meet at a coffee shop just down the block after his morning meeting. I got into my car and made my way back to the hotel before checking the voicemail Happy had left me.

"Hey. I just wanted to check on you, make sure you were okay and shit. I guess I'll try you again tomorrow." There was no apology, no explanation for the time between calls but with all that being said, the voicemail still pulled at my heart. I fell down onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. Why couldn't I just write him off as a two time one-night stand and be done with it. Tears started running down into my hair before I even realized it.

"Sorry I'm late." I said, walking into the coffee shop ten minutes after we'd agreed to meet. He was dressed in another sharp suit while I was wearing my hair up, Happy's sweatshirt and a pair of jeans. I hadn't realized I was still wearing his sweatshirt until I was walking inside and saw Jason looking at me. I had slept in it and didn't have time to change.

"It's okay. Rough night?" I twisted my mouth and shrugged. I hadn't slept more than dozing off a few times between sales commercials. He was staring at the "Reaper Crew" stamped prominently on the front of the sweatshirt. I could see the questions written all over his face but he didn't mention it. I waited at the counter until the barista gave me my coffee.

"I'm getting back on the road after I leave here." I said, sitting down across from Jason. I noticed a few people looking at us, no doubt thinking what an odd pair we made. He sighed.

"I was afraid you weren't even going to show." He admitted. I nodded, having thought about just getting on the road and tossing his number. He deserved better than that though. He was a gentleman. "Keep my number, Skye. Maybe you'll be back through here one day."

"Maybe." I said with a soft smile. He looked at his watch and I sat my mug down. "I understand if you need to go."

"I'm sorry. A client meeting got pushed up." I had a feeling that was a lie but I couldn't blame him. There wasn't much to stick around for. "It was a pleasure having met you and sharing your first Chicago pizza with you, Skye."

"Thank you, Jason. Really." I stood up and gave him a quick hug. He nodded and stepped back.

"I kind of thought there might be someone else. You had a look in your eye and I doubt you wear old spice." Jason chuckled. I hid my hands inside the front pocket of Happy's sweatshirt and shook my head, disappointed in myself. Jason kissed my forehead. "He's crazy for letting you go."

I couldn't think of anything to say. I swallowed down the lump in my throat and raised my hand in farewell as he moved towards the door. After finishing my coffee, I got back on the road to New York. I made myself focus on everything I was going to do once I got there. The Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Times Square, I wasn't going to run out of things to keep me busy. I wasn't going to run out of things to keep my mind off of Happy.

"Hello." I said, pulling into a rest area. He had actually kept his word about trying to call me again. I half expected him to go another two weeks without calling. I was ready to stretch my legs so his call couldn't have come at a better time.

"Hey, surprised you answered." I had considered letting the call go to voicemail again. "Where are you?"

"Cleveland." I said, stepping out of the car and arching my back. "Everybody okay in there?"

"Yeah, we're fine. What the hell are you in Cleveland for?" He said with a chuckle. I bit my lip to keep from smiling. I liked the sound of his laugh.

"I left Chicago this morning. It's just on the way to New York." I explained. Mentioning Chicago irritated me. It wasn't his fault, he couldn't have known I was on a date. I was just irritated that he still had an affect on me. "Why'd you decide to call me again?"

"Told you you're different, girl. Hard to stay mad at you." He said. I hated him for not letting me hate him. I bit my lip and looked up into the sun to keep from crying. "What's wrong, baby?"

"This. You. I don't want to care if you call me during a date. I want to move on from whatever we were. I don't even like you." My voice broke at the end and I knew I'd given away how I really felt. I heard him sigh but it wasn't the annoyed Happy sigh. It was different than that. It was... softer.

"Skye. Don't cry. I'm not worth that shit." He said, making me cry even harder. "I don't have much longer on the phone."

"I'm sorry." I said, forcing the tears off my face with the backs of my hands. "I must be PMS'ing or something. I'm not a crier."

"Yeah, I know. I'll call you tomorrow. You don't have to answer if you don't want to." He said. I heard a beeping in the phone, knowing the call was about to be cut off. I nodded and took a deep breath.

"Take care of yourself." I said, in case it was the last time we spoke. The line went dead but I knew he had heard me. I spoke just in time. I ran my hand through my hair before shaking all the bad feelings out of my head and getting back in the car. I didn't stop until I get to New York.

Jason had been right, the city didn't seem to go to sleep. There were people on the sidewalks and restaurants were open on every block. It felt like a whole different world. I pulled my car into a parking garage and headed into the attached hotel for the night. It wasn't cheap but I had expected that. I knew everything was bigger in the Big Apple and the included cost.

Happy didn't call the next day or even the next. Luckily, my plan for keeping my mind off of him worked pretty well. I was busy seeing the sights and all that the city had to offer. By the third night, I realized that my journey was coming to an end. I was an independent person but I loved my friends, my family. I couldn't see myself travelling through the rest of the world alone. It just wasn't who I was. It didn't help that I was running out of money either.

I sold my car for a thousand dollars less than I'd originally paid Gemma for it. I knew it was a rip off but it was an easy sale and I'd put a lot of miles on the old car. I tucked the money in the toe of a tennis-shoe in my carry on as I waited to board the plane.

"Do you have any postcards?" I asked the clerk in the little convenience store by the gate. She nodded and pointed towards a rack that I hadn't noticed behind me. I smiled and slowly spun the display around, looking for the right one. I finally found it and paid for it, a water and postage to send it to Happy.

"Delta Flight 976 is now boarding." I finished my note and signed the postcard quickly and dropped it in the postbox by the store I had purchased it from. The attendant at the gate smiled as she checked my boarding pass. "Have a great flight."

"Thank you." I said, taking the pass back and walking down the ramp.

 **Cliffhanger...**


	12. Chapter 12

Just want to thank everyone for your support! I really love this story so I'm gonna keep writing!

Chapter 12

I tapped my foot, waiting to get through security. The line was longer than I thought it would have been on a Thursday. The woman behind the desk kept looking at me every so often and it was starting to irritate me. The minutes ticked on by for what felt like an hour before she finally called my name. I took off my belt and shoes and put them in the tray along with my bag. This wasn't my first time.

"You're here to see Inmate 821974 is that correct?" She asked, looking at a sheet as I walked through the metal detector. I raised an eyebrow and waited at the end of the conveyor for my things.

"Uh, I'm here to see Happy Lowman. Inmate or not, they're still people for Christ's sake." I was irritable from having to wait for so long. She glared at me for a split second before jotting something down on her clipboard. I rolled my eyes and took my shoes out of the tray.

"Ma'am, I need to inspect those first." She said quickly. I tossed them back in the tray and motioned towards it. They were flats. It wasn't really feasible to hide anything inside of them. She picked them up and looked inside each one before turning them upside down and looking at the soles. "Here."

"Sure they're safe?" I asked, slipping them on my feet. I had a feeling we weren't going to do mani/pedi's together anytime soon. She poked around inside my bag before handing over it and my belt.

"You'll have thirty minutes from the inmate entering visitation. No kissing, fondling or otherwise inappropriate touching." She rattled off. I nodded with a grin.

"Aye, so blow jobs are out of the question?" She glared at me again. "Gotcha. Just checking."

She pushed a button and a loud buzzer went off before a metal door opened, revealing a guard. I walked through the door, ignoring the way the guard was looking me over. I had a feeling that during the day, he didn't see many women that didn't look like my pal at the security checkpoint. Poor bloke. He led me to a table and told me wait there. I sat down and strummed my fingers on the metal table top, getting a little nervous.

"Happy." I said, only realizing how much I'd truly missed him when he walked through the visitation door. The guard rattled off the same warnings about touching but I didn't care. I rushed into his arms, savoring the feel of his arms around me again. He kissed the top of my head and I knew we had to take our seats before the guard got pissy.

"You look good, girl." Happy said, looking me over as we both sat down. I shrugged, trying to play off the fact that I had changed outfits twice before settling on my skinny jeans and lace top. "Sorry I haven't been able to call."

"Aye, Tig told Chibs to tell me about it and I told your mum. I didn't want her to worry." I said quickly, hoping I hadn't overstepped the line. It had been almost two weeks since I got back to Charming and he'd been banned from the phone ever since the day I talked to him in Cleveland. All together, I hadn't spoken with him in almost a month. He smirked and nodded. I didn't mind that smirk. It had been too long since I had seen it. "What'd you do to lose privileges?"

"Didn't stand for count. Hurt my back during rec and didn't feel like standing. I wasn't hiding. They could see me." He grumbled. I wouldn't have stood up either. It seemed a bit ridiculous.

"Well, I'm glad they finally got around to adding me onto your visitor's list." I said with a smile.

"I was surprised to get the postcard. Thought you'd be pissed I didn't call." He said. There was a moment of comfortable silence before he took a deep breath. "Who was the date with?"

"What?" I asked, almost forgetting what he was even talking about. I then remembered what I'd said on our last phone call. "Aye, it was just someone I met in Chicago. We had pizza."

"Just pizza?" He asked. I could read between the lines. He wanted to know if we had hooked up. It actually seemed like he was trying to keep from pissing me off. That was new.

"Just pizza." I confirmed. He seemed to relax a little and I couldn't help but smile. "So, less than eight months now."

"Seven months and thirteen days." He corrected me. I smiled. "You shouldn't have come back to Charming for me, baby. I'm not good enough for you. I've done some shit you wouldn't be proud of."

"How about we just take it slow and you let me decide that? I didn't come back to Charming for you. I came back for me. It started to feel like home before I left and when I was in New York, I realized it was where I needed to be." I explained. He sighed with a little defeat but chose not to argue with me. "Besides, I have a baby shower to throw for Tara."

"I've missed seeing you." He didn't say it directly but I knew he what he meant. I nodded and put my hand over his. We were running out of time. "You come down here by yourself?"

"No, Opie followed me." I said. He nodded, seeming satisfied by that answer. "Please take care of yourself. I heard what happened to Jax."

"Yeah, I will, baby. He's going to be okay. Should get out of the infirmary in a few days." He said as the buzzer ending our time together went off. I stood up and walked into his hug again. I gave him a quick kiss on his cheek before the guard called for him. "Be good, Skye."

"Aye, you to." I said. I took a deep, shaky breath as I walked back through the large, metal door. Seeing Happy was supposed to make things better. I was supposed to miss him at least a little less but my damn heart wasn't hearing it. I was crying before I made it to the parking lot. When I got close to the black Cadillac Escalade that Gemma let me borrow, Opie sat up. He frowned when he saw the tears running down my cheeks.

"Skye." He spoke softly and took a step towards me. I shook my head and opened the car door. I wasn't in the mood to be comforted. "At least wait a few minutes before you try to drive."

"I know." I muttered, leaving the door open and turning sideways in the seat. "Gemma already threatened my life if anything happened to her car."

"I'm more worried about something happening to you. Not only would Hap kill me for letting it happen, I would kind of miss you. You're not too bad to have around." He said with a bright smile, showing off his teeth. I laughed and shook my head. Whether I wanted it or not, he was actually making me feel a little better.

"Thanks, I think." I wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand and took a deep breath. "Do you think you could keep what just happened between us? I don't want everyone thinking I'm hung up on him or anything."

"No, no, you just drove like a bat out of hell to get down here and came out crying." He said, seeing right through me. I rolled my eyes. "Relax, I won't say anything."

"Thanks." I sighed. "I think I'm okay to drive now."

"Why wouldn't you be?" He gave me a wink before walking over to his bike. I made the right decision in coming back to Charming. The people I'd met both while they were in Belfast and since hopping the pond were truly like family. Even if nothing came of Happy and I, I would probably still stick around.

I drove a little above the speed limit on our way back to Charming. I was supposed to have the car back so Gemma and I could go shopping for the surprise shower. Tara didn't have a clue. Luckily, we had used apartment hunting as an excuse for the time we were out preparing. I could tell she was a little hurt that I hadn't included her in the fake apartment hunt but I hoped it would be worth it in the end. When I pulled into Gemma's driveway, she was walking out of the front door.

"Thanks Opie!" I yelled, giving him a wave as made a u-turn in front of Gemma's house. He gave me a nod and then headed back out to the main road. I had my wits about me again. I wasn't about to let Gemma see how visiting Happy was affecting me. It wasn't all bad, I had been thrilled to see him. I just missed him like he left all over again.

"You're late." Gemma said, climbing into the driver's seat that I had abandoned. I nodded but didn't bother making any excuses. "How was your visit?"

"The woman who checked my stuff at security was annoying. Happy seemed well though. He said Jax should be getting out of the infirmary soon." I didn't want to linger on the subject of Happy, just in case. Gemma nodded and backed out of the driveway. I could tell something was up with her. She seemed on edge, even more so than normal. "Somethings bothering you."

"It's nothing. What's left on the list?" She obviously wanted to talk about what was bothering her as much as I wanted to talk about Happy. I respected that. I pulled the list out of my bag and unfolded it.

"We still need to get some silver balloons to got with the blue ones and a table for the gifts to go on. I still need to get a gift to." I said, unsure of what to get her. Gemma nodded and we headed out towards Lodi where there was a party supply store. I spun my ring around my finger and stared out of the window, trying to decide between gift ideas.

"That's a pretty ring." Gemma said, looking over at me while we waited on a traffic light to turn.

"Thanks. My father gave it to me a few weeks before he died. I've had to have it resized since then." I said, remembering how he'd surprised me with it on my birthday.

"It's a Claddagh right?" She asked, pulling off from the light. I was surprised she knew what it was.

"Yeah, it is." I said, wondering if there was more to her question. The ring was symbolic and had different meanings depending on what hand it was worn on and which was it was facing. She glanced over at me but didn't say anything else.

That Saturday morning, Gemma and I enlisted the help of Opie and Chibs in setting up for Tara's baby shower. They grumbled about it in the beginning but by the end they were throwing in their suggestions and ideas. It was amusing. We were t-minus one hour until the party when I went outside for a smoke.

"Hey, you got your phone privileges back." I said, sitting down on the table top. Kozik had apparently followed me out for a smoke of his own and sat down on the opposite end of the table.

"Yeah, finally. What are you wearing?" He asked in a low growl. I laughed and looked down at my baby blue dress and white heels. I felt a little like Little Bo Peep. I told him what I was wearing and felt my cheeks getting red. Kozik looked over at me chuckled. "You'll have to wear that for me sometime."

"I can do that." I said, blowing smoke above me with a smile. "We just finished setting Tara's party up."

"Yeah? You getting baby fever?" He asked with a laugh. I scrunched my nose and shook my head.

"Definitely not. I prefer puppies to babies, personally. Kids are great as long as they aren't mine." I said, taking another drag off my cigarette. I realized that was the first time we'd ever talked about kids. I felt a little tricked.

"Good, I don't do diapers." He sounded like he was stretching or yawning. "Still planning on being there when I get out?"

"Whether you like it or not." I teased. He laughed and I could imagine him nodding his head. "I got to call my Ma before she has a cow. Thanks again for taking that money down to her. All she writes about is you now."

"Tell her I said hi. Bye, Happy." I said, standing and dusting the back of my dress off.

"Bye baby." He said. I was growing fond of the pet name and even what it could mean once he got out. Still, I tried not to get ahead of myself. Him being into me when I was one of the only options was different than when he was out and a buffet was laid out before him.

"So something is going on with you two." Kozik said with a grin. I couldn't tell if he was disappointed or just saying 'I told you so'. I shrugged. There couldn't be that much going on considering our circumstances.

"Maybe when he gets out." It was the first time that I had ever admitted to even a resemblance of a chance of a relationship between us. It was kind of relieving. Kozik nodded with a grin.

"Good for him." He said, following me back inside. I bit my lip, unsure of how to take that. Things had been different between Kozik and I since I got back. We were friends before I left and since getting back it seemed like he was more of a friendly acquaintance. I wasn't sure what had caused the change but didn't want to make things awkward by bringing it up.

A few minutes later, everyone started showing up for the shower and the guys were all but run out of their clubhouse. Gemma had initially said we could hold it at her house but suddenly changed her mind at the last minute. Still, the guys had done a great job of helping us get the place looking a little less masculine. I got a text from Gemma and got everyone ready for the big surprise.

"Oh my gosh! You guys!" There were about twenty women, some club ladies, some coworkers, all there to celebrate Tara and the baby boy. I wasn't on board with yelling surprise at a pregnant woman so were were all holding balloons when she came in. Opie was going to throw a fit about getting them all down from the ceiling but I didn't really care. He'd get over it. "Thank you all so much!"

We played a few baby shower games, watched Tara open her gifts and shared some cake. I was able to meet some of her coworkers and was pleasantly surprised at how nice they were. I always had a hard time befriending women. Tara seemed so happy with the surprise shower that I didn't even feel bad for lying to her over the past couple weeks.

"Do you need some help getting this stuff home?" I asked her, carrying a couple boxes out to her car.

"Please! You don't mind? You've already done too much." Tara said, closing her trunk. I shook my head with a little glance towards the clubhouse.

"Trust me, I'd rather not be around to hear the guys fuss and moan about cleaning up. Chibs already told me there better not be any glitter." Tara laughed. There was glitter. There was quite a lot of glitter.

"Well let's go before they get back." She said motioning towards the front of the car. I hurried into the passenger seat as Opie pulled onto the lot. "Thanks again for this, Skye. It means a lot to me."

"You're welcome. Sorry I lied to you about apartment hunting, we just wanted to surprise you." I said. She waved it off with a smile. "I guess I should start looking though. Once the guys get out the clubhouse is going to be a little crowded."

"I know of a few places for rent if you wanted to check them out next week. I was going to go down to Stockton and see Jax if you wanted to ride with me and then we could check the places out." I felt my cheeks turn a dark red. "What?"

"I didn't do so well after the visit Thursday. I don't know if I should go back yet." I admitted. I hadn't spoken to anyone about what happened besides Opie and from what I knew, he had kept his word and not mentioned it to anyone. Tara raised her brow at me. "I started crying as soon I got outside."

"Let me guess, seeing him only made you realize how much you missed him?" Tara asked with a knowing frown. I shrugged.

"I guess. I missed him even more as soon as he was gone though. I don't even know how I feel about him." I said. Tara laughed and put the car in park.

"Skye, come on. I've seen the smile you get when he calls you and the way you try to avoid talking about him. I don't think you don't know how you feel, you just don't want to admit it." I sighed, wishing she wasn't right. "Don't worry, I've been there. Hell, part of me is still trying to fight loving Jax."

"He said he's done stuff I wouldn't be proud of. Do you know what he's talking about? I mean, I know enough about the club to know they aren't angels but.." I trailed off, unsure of what else to say. We put the last of the bags in the nursery and then settled in on the couch. Gemma had offered to keep Abel for the night, so it was just me and Tara.

"No, not really. You know his nickname, right?" I paused, trying to remember if I'd ever heard anyone call him anything besides Hap or Happy. I shook my head slowly. Tara hesitated. "I mean, it's just a nickname but they call him Killah. It could be nothing though. People make up nicknames all the time."

"Yeah but there's usually a reason for it, especially with the club." I said, feeling a little deflated. I had really only known Happy for a couple weeks, not counting the time since he went away. There was plenty I didn't know about him and I had been okay with that. It was normal but after what'd he'd said and what Tara had told me, I was starting to wonder.

"Skye, he's never been anything less than polite to me and the guys love him. He's even good with Abel. I'm not vouching for him because I honestly don't know him that well. I just think you should get to know him. I don't think he would ever do anything to hurt you." Tara said with a sad smile. She must have seen the doubt written all over my face. She was probably right though. Everyone had a past, including me. The time that I had spent with him leading up to the point hadn't sent up any red flags besides his affiliation with the club. I was starting to learn to love the club though. I took a deep breath and rubbed my forehead.

"He's so good at, uh, kissing though." I was about to go a lot further than that but I realized Tara and I had never talked like that. I was just so used to being open with Trinity. Tara laughed loudly and shook her head.

"Kissing? Come on, girl. You really want to talk about the kissing?" Tara giggled. I blushed and we started swapping stories, she had plenty more about Jax than I had about Happy of course but it was fun. It got my mind off the heavy shit.


	13. Chapter 13

**Shorter than the last couple chapters but a big plot point and it's setting up the next chapter(s). Don't worry, we'll get to what's up with Gemma in the next one. Love all the reviews and support from you all. Thank you, thank you, thank you.**

Chapter 13

I strummed my fingers on my kitchen counter, waiting for the phone to ring. A lot had changed in the last few months. I found a townhouse to rent and I was in love with it. There were only two bedrooms and but it had a good sized living room and kitchen. It was also updated with newer appliances and neutral paint. The landlord was a friend of Gemma's so I didn't have to worry much about them being overbearing or strict. I was really starting to settle into Charming. A few weeks after that, baby Thomas came into the world kicking and screaming. He was healthy and happy which was all anyone could hope for. I even had the pleasure of watching him for a few hours while Tara went to visit Jax soon after he was born. Now he was old enough to go to visitations and I was sure Jax loved that. It wasn't all good news though. I had asked Happy about his nickname. It was difficult to talk about it during visitation but there was no way we could have the discussion over the phone or by mail. He told me what those happy face tattoos were for and I couldn't bring myself to visit him for about a month afterwards. Eventually I realized that I couldn't stay away from him, despite what I knew.

"Hey." I said, sitting down on my barstool as I answered the phone. I knew he was still mad.

"You're not working there, Skye." He growled, skipping all pleasantries and greetings. My shoulders dropped. I knew he was upset but he seemed right pissed.

"Happy, it's just a job. All I'm doing is helping out with wardrobe and stuff. I'm not in front of the camera." I hated explaining myself to him. We weren't even together, not really.

"Yet, Skye. I'm not stupid. We own half of the damn business. If I say you're not working there then you're not working there." I pulled the phone away from my ear and stared at it. I thought about throwing it across the room but I didn't want to waste money on buying a new one.

"Fuck you, Happy. I can't just scrape by on what Gemma was paying me. It was only meant to be temporary anyways." I couldn't afford my place on what Gemma was paying me, let alone buy food or gas for the car I was still borrowing from her. "What is your problem."

"My girl isn't working in porn. I don't give a shit if you're behind or in front of the camera. You need money you let me know." He wasn't yelling, he was barely whispering. I decided that was worse. I think I would have rather him yelled. I rubbed my forehead and closed my eyes.

"I don't take charity and we haven't even talked about what we are or aren't, Happy." I was tired of arguing with him, it had been ongoing since my last visit when I told him where I was working.

"It ain't charity, Skye. You've been hauling your ass down here almost every week and you're the only damn person I call besides my Ma. Hell, you know more about who I am now than she does. You're either in or out, Skye. Fucking pick one. You show up Thursday then you're in." The line went dead and I pulled my phone away. We had reached the time limit, not that I thought he wouldn't hang up on me after that.

I tossed the phone into my bag and took a deep breath. There was less than a month to their release date. I knew that I would have to decide where I stood on us eventually but I wasn't expecting an ultimatum. It had me hot under the collar. Sure, I could see where he could have a problem if I was working in front of the camera but I wasn't. It was all behind scenes. I barely even left the dressing room. The more I thought about it, the less upset I was about his telling me not to work there and the more upset I was about him offering me money. I had never needed anyone else to support me since I was eighteen. Even if I struggled, I made it on my own. I scoffed at the thought of him supporting me and left the kitchen to get ready for dinner with Tara and the boys. It was somewhat of a Tuesday routine for us.

"Hey, you look great." Tara said with a smile as I walked inside her house. I had filtered my anger into productivity and took the time to do my hair and makeup. I also made the effort to put together an outfit instead of just wearing the normal jeans and shirt. "I want to borrow that dress once if I ever lose the baby weight."

"Deal." I said with a smile, picking up Abel with a smile. He had finally stopped being shy around me. "Dinner smells great."

"It's just spaghetti and garlic bread." Tara said with a laugh. I pressed my lips together and made an 'mmmm' sound which had Abel giggling. We headed into the kitchen and had dinner before I helped put Abel down while Tara got Thomas settled in. After we opened a bottle of wine and sat down on the couch, Tara looked over at me suspiciously. "What's bothering you?"

"Am I that easy to read?" I grumbled. Tara shook her head with a laugh.

"Most of my patients can't talk. I have to be good at reading people. That includes babies and moody Irish women." Tara teased, pouring me a rather full glass of wine. I nodded and took a sip.

"That would be Happy's fault. He's still mad about me working at Cara-Cara. He flat out told me that I wasn't working there if I wanted to be with him." Tara's eyes widened as she set her wine glass down on the table. I nodded and continued. "Aye, he then had the audacity to offer me money to make ends meet. So then he gives me an ultimatum when I tell him that we aren't even together."

"Wow. What are you going to do?" Tara asked. I took a deep breath and shook my head. I still wasn't sure. "Well, how long do you have to decide?"

"Thursday. Apparently if I go to visitation then we're together. If I don't then, well, we aren't." I rubbed my temples and tried to think about what I wanted. We sipped on our wine in silence for a few minutes.

"Why wouldn't you want to be with him?" Tara asked. I looked over at her and shrugged.

"When I started dating Elijah, he was a university student like Trinity. It was good, things between us were good until he got involved with the IRA. The more involved he got, the less we had in common and the less effort he seemed to put into us. I was just supposed to sit on the sidelines, waiting for when he needed companionship. I felt like he saw me as something to possess. He didn't see me as a person or a partner anymore." I explained.

"So, you're worried that the club will be to Happy as the IRA was to Elijah?" Tara summarized. I nodded and finished my glass. I hesitated when she offered me more.

"No, I have to drive home eventually." I said with a shake of my head. She nodded and sat the bottle down. "I mean, you've been with Jax. Do you ever feel like you come second?"

"To be honest? Yes. The thing is, sometimes he comes second to my job. What I think matters is if he's there when I need him and if I'm there when he needs me. We're still working on it every day. Everyone is different though, even if they wear the same colors on their backs." It was times like that when I remembered that Tara had been around the club for a long time. She was an old lady. She knew the in's and out's.

"Aye, I guess you're right." I glanced at my watch and groaned. There was an early shoot that I had to help out with the next morning. I stood up and stretched. "Do you think there's any way he'd compromise on the job?"

"No. That's one way they're all the same. They're hard-headed and accustomed to getting their way." Tara laughed. I nodded, I was thinking something along the same lines. When I got home, I tossed and turned all night, turning everything over in my head again and again.

"You're late." Ima said, hands on her hips and a scowl on her face. I couldn't seem to take her seriously with her blonde hair in pigtails. I nodded and squeezed by her to get into the dressing room. "Where is my skirt?"

"On the rack with your name on it." I grumbled. I was tired and I had a headache. Dealing with Ima wasn't on my list of things I'd like to do. Honestly, that list was pretty short and it included going back to sleep, watching television and Happy. It was a very short list.

"No. It isn't." She snapped her fingers and pointed to the rack. I grinded my teeth and took a deep breath to keep from slapping her across the face. The skirt was hanging right where it had been the night before, between two tops that were possible wardrobe options for the shoot. I walked over and yanked the hanger off the rack.

"Yeah, it is." I said, shoving it into her hands. She scoffed. Lyla, Opie's old lady, laughed and shook her head.

"She's in a mood. It's not you." Lyla said. I looked back at Ima and shook my head.

"No, I'm pretty sure it's both." I didn't care. She got on my nerves nearly every day. Knowing how she'd tried to go after Jax probably didn't help my impression of her. Not only was Tara my friend, it was completely against the code. No woman should ever go after another woman's man, even if the two women aren't friends. "Are you going to the Gemma's Sunday?"

"I haven't decided." She laughed and shrugged her shoulders. "Who am I kidding? Gemma would kill me if I didn't come. What about you?"

"No, I'll be in Bakersfield." I said, handing her a pair of red high heels. She raised her brow. "It's my friend's birthday and I wanted to surprise her and take her out to eat."

"You're a sweetheart, Skye." Lyla smiled and sat down in her chair to buckle the small straps. "Happy's a lucky guy."

"We-" I paused. I was going to tell her we weren't together but something made me stop. "Yeah, he is."

"I've got to get out there before Ima's head explodes." Lyla laughed and stood up. She was a good foot taller than me in those heels. I nodded and waited until she was out of the room to take a seat in her chair. It was going to be a long day.

"What's up, Betty?" I asked the woman at security. Any time she saw me walk inside, she went from either smiling or having a neutral expression to straight scowling. She set the tray down for me to put my stuff in and pursed her lips.

"How much longer do I have to keep seeing you?" She asked as the tray ran through the scanner. I laughed as she shook my boots and shined a flashlight down in them.

"Two months counting today." She sighed and handed me my knee-high boots. I had two main reasons for wearing them to visitation. First, I knew Happy liked them. Second, I knew that Betty would have to do a little extra work to check them out. "Aw, come on. We can still keep seeing each other if you want. I know you'll miss me."

"Like a cold sore." She scoffed. I laughed and zipped my boots. The heavy metal door opened and I walked away from Betty and into visitation. I was chewing on my bottom lip when Happy walked into the room and laid eyes on me. I still wasn't completely sure about my decision but I was sure enough to show up and give it a go.

"You're here." He said after giving me a hug and sitting down across from me. I nodded and swallowed nervously.

"I'm here." I said. "I'm guessing there's no changing your mind on my job, is there?"

"Do you like working there?" He asked, leaning back in the chair and folding his arms across his chest. I tried not to get distracted by the way his arm muscles looked. He had obviously been using the time inside to workout. I pulled my eyes away from his arms and looked into his dark brown eyes.

"I like the money." I shrugged. "I've had worse jobs though."

"Find something else, Skye. You've got until I get out and then you're done there either way." I was surprised by his somewhat compromise. "I don't trust the people that come and go out there."

"You mean you don't trust the guys that come and go out there." I suggested. He shrugged. I smiled. If I liked the job, I wouldn't give way on the argument. I didn't though. Ima was a pain in the ass and a few of the other girls were annoying as well. Then, there were the male actors who thought they were God's gift to women. I wasn't going to mention that to Happy though. There was no point in angering him any further.

"So you're really going all the way to Bakersfield to have dinner with my Ma on Sunday?" Happy said, changing the subject away from Cara-Cara. I nodded.

"It's her birthday and you're not able to be there this year." Kozik had told me about Happy taking his Ma out to dinner every year for her birthday, no matter how far he had to ride to get there.

"You've been talking to surfer-boy, huh?" Happy grumbled. I laughed and nodded. Kozik had eventually gotten over whatever problem he had with Happy and I. Once he'd moved on from being moody, we'd gotten back to talking like brother and sister. "I appreciate it. It'll mean a lot to her."

"I like her Happy. I wouldn't want her to spend her birthday alone." I said with a sad smile. He scowled.

"I didn't go to prison so my Ma would be alone on her birthday." He snapped. I raised my brow and blinked, wondering where that had come from.

"Happy, nobody was saying that. What's wrong with you?" He'd been grumpier and grumpier the last few weeks.

"I'm sick of being in here." He said. I frowned, knowing that I would have gotten cabin fever a long time ago. "It's not you, baby."

"I'd hope not considering I came down here after your ultimatum." I gave him a wink, hoping he would relax. He nodded and leaned forward. He took my right hand and ran his thumb over my ring.

"Should you turn this around then?" He asked with a smirk. I laughed and nodded, pulling my hand out from under his and flipping my ring around so that it was facing inward.

"So, you've been speaking to the Scot?" I asked, knowing Chibs would probably be the only one who knew about Claddagh meanings. Happy lifted a shoulder and let it fall innocently. I gave him my hand back. "Is that better."

"Yeah. It is." He groaned and dropped his head. "I really want to fuck you on this table."

"I'm pretty sure that's against the rules." I whispered. He nodded and looked back up at me. I saw the hunger in his eyes and felt my center heating up. I had been relying on my toys ever since he went in. I chuckled at the realization.

"What?" He asked with a slight scowl. I rolled my eyes.

"I haven't gotten any since you left either." I admitted. He smirked cockily.

"Why's that, Skye?" He was teasing me now. I had been so against being in Charming when he got out and admitting we were together, yet it seemed my actions were speaking louder than my words. I had gone without sex for a year, by choice. Before I could embarrass myself any further, the guard announced that visitation was over. Happy's mood visibly dropped as he stood up. "Come here, girl."

"Only a few more weeks, Hap." I said hugging him tightly. He nodded and bent his head down, catching my lips in a full on kiss. I knew it wasn't allowed and that he'd get in trouble for it but I wanted it as much as he did. It was short thanks to the guard yelling at us. I groaned as they led him out of the room. I needed more.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Skye? What are you doing here, sweetheart?" Happy's mom, Marie asked after opening her front door. I was holding a gift bag, so I lifted it up to explain. "Oh, you shouldn't have come all the way down here for an old lady's birthday!"

"I like birthdays." I said, stepping inside and handing her the bag. I noticed an oxygen tank by the couch that hadn't been there when I brought the money down for her medicine. She was also using a cane and seemed to be moving slower than I remembered. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, sweetheart. How are you? You look skinny." She clicked her tongue and shook her head.

"I'm okay. Do you feel up to going out for a birthday dinner?" I asked, realizing that I should have thought about her health before scheming up this surprise. She scowled at me and I felt my cheeks blush. "I mean, it's your birthday. Ya don't have to do anything ya don't want to."

"Sure that's what you meant. I'll let you take me to dinner but you aren't paying. It looks like you've already done to much." She pointed at the bag that she'd sat on the side table next to her chair. I shrugged.

"How about you open it and then decide if I'm paying or not." I suggested. She sighed and brought it onto her lap. I watched as she carefully removed the tissue paper. She covered her mouth with her hand and pulled the porcelain figurine out of the bag with the utmost care. "I noticed the other ones in your cabinet."

"Skye, you shouldn't have. How did you find this? I've been looking for years since mine was broken." I had spent hours on the Internet looking for that exact figurine. They were a set, one for each month of the year. When I had brought her the money for her medicine, I noticed that October was missing. I was just relieved that it made it through shipping in one piece and it had arrived on time. I was pretty confident she would like it.

"So you like it?" I asked with a smile. She wiped away a tear and nodded as she struggled to stand up. I took a step forward to be there if she needed help, not that she would ask for it. She gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek before walking over to her cabinet and putting the figurine in the empty space between September and November.

"Thank you, sweetheart. My boy took long enough to find someone but I'm glad he found you. You're worth the wait." She closed the cabinet and looked back at me with a smile. "Now, where are you taking this old broad to eat?"

We went to eat at an authentic Spanish restaurant that had good reviews online. Marie seemed to enjoy it and I convinced her to go ahead and order the fried ice cream she'd been eyeing. She tried to hide it but I could tell she was getting more and more tired as the night went on. I helped her out of my car and into her house, despite her protest and insistence that she could make it by herself.

"Do you need anything before I go?" I asked, hesitant about leaving her in the living room. I didn't want her to fall asleep in there.

"Sweetheart, you have a long drive ahead of you. I'll be just fine." I nodded and turned to leave. "Skye, thank you for today. It meant a lot."

"The pleasure is all mine, Marie. Happy Birthday." I said with a wave. I got back into my car and sat still behind the wheel for a few minutes. I was worried about her. I knew she wasn't in good health but after dinner was the first time I really saw it. The worst part about it was there was nothing I could do. I started the car and let it roll back out of the driveway, knowing she'd have my ass if I sat outside of her house all night.

"Something bothering you?" Gemma asked as she walked up to where I sat at the bar with a glass of whiskey. It was the first glass I had poured after Gemma's threat about getting anything more than buzzed.

"I didn't think anybody else would be up." I said. It was late when I got back to Charming and the clubhouse had been empty. Gemma shrugged and walked around the bar. She poured her own glass of whiskey. "Something bothering you?"

"I asked first." She said before taking a drink. I nodded and spun the glass around. I had yet to take a drink yet.

"I went down to Bakersfield and had dinner with Happy's mum for her birthday. I saw how tired she got." I shrugged and drank the whiskey in one big gulp.

"How did you mother die?" Gemma asked, pouring me another drink. I looked up at her through my lashes and shook my head.

"Slowly. I don't care to talk about it." I said. She had been my rock after my father died. When she got sick, I did everything I could to help her get better. I worked jobs after school and put every cent I earned towards the medical bills so she could see the best doctors and have all the medicine she needed. Just thinking about it made my throat tighten. With a deep breath, I swallowed the whiskey down. "Your turn."

"Just worried about Clay coming home." I raised my brow. "It's personal."

"Seems we have something in common then." I leaned back against the stool back.

"Why would you be worried? You're young and beautiful." I had been referring to each of us having personal shit going on. Obviously she'd misunderstood me though. "When you get older, it's not that easy anymore."

"Aye, is that why you've been acting strange and remodeling the house? Going through the change?" She narrowed her eyes at me. It made sense. "Gemma, Clay isn't getting any younger either. He'll be happy to come home to you."

"Says the blonde twenty-something with a tight butt and perky tits." Gemma grumbled. I chuckled and poured her another drink.

"Look, just go see a doc and get ya some meds or something." I suggested. She rolled her eyes as I rose to leave. "Or not, it's your sex life."

"Oh go home." She waved me away after I had already put my bag on my shoulder. I laughed and nodded. Home was exactly where I was headed, first home then my bed.

During the next few weeks, I searched high and low for a job that would get me out of Cara-Cara. There were a few bartending jobs and waitressing jobs that I could get but it would still be too hard to make ends meet. I was about to give up and tell Happy to just get over me working at the porn studio. Tara suggested I look into going to school but I wasn't so sure. It would take money and I didn't even know what I would go for.

"Come on! You've been working more than I have! You need a girl's day." Tara said, knocking on my door. I forced myself out of bed and down the hall. Her eyes widened when I opened the door. I hadn't bothered in putting on a shirt since she wouldn't stop knocking. At least I was wearing panties. "Get ready. We're going shopping."

"For what?" I asked, grabbing a towel from the closet. She didn't answer before I went to take a shower. When I got out, she was flipping through my sketch pad.

"These are really great." Tara said. I shrugged and stepped into my boots. I drew when I was bored. It was more of a habit than a hobby.

"So, why are we going shopping?" I asked. She smiled as she closed the pad and stood up.

"Fun. You can get something to wear for your interview Monday." She said. I furrowed my brow. I didn't have any interviews set up. "We had a registration clerk position open up and I gave Margaret your resume."

"Really?" I bit my bottom lip, wondering if it was something worth getting my hopes up for. "Thank you, Tara."

"You can thank me by going shopping with me. I want to find something to wear for Jax." Her cheeks blushed a little. I chuckled and pulled my hair up into a high pony-tail.

"Well, let's go then." I motioned towards the door and she sprang to her feet. I made sure to lock the door behind us and then jogged down the stairs to meet up with Tara in the parking lot. We went to the mall and spent almost all day there. I found some pieces I could mix and match for interviews and a potential job and Tara found a cute, lacy set of lingerie to wear for Jax. She convinced me to get a matching bra and thong but I refused to get any of the garters or teddies she begged me to consider. On our way back out to the car, I heard puppies whimpering and crying from inside a pet shop.

"Aw, you're okay buddy." I said, picking up a lonely looking puppy out of a play pen. Its paws were huge and it's skin was loose, it was obvious that the puppy was going to be a large dog. The puppy put its head on my shoulder. "Are you lonely?"

"Everyone's worried about how big he'll be so he keeps getting passed over." A woman said as she walked around the counter. "He's a Doberman."

"He's a sweetheart." I said, biting my lip. Tara scratched him behind the ears and his stub of a tail started wagging. "What happens to him if he isn't adopted before he gets older?"

"He'll probably go back to be a stud dog or something." She said with a shrug. I didn't like the sound of 'or something'. I nodded and looked over at his sweet face again.

"I'll take him." I said confidently. I knew if I took the night to think about it or talked it through with Tara, I would change my mind. I loved dogs and I hadn't had one since I was a little girl. Tara's eyes were wide as I glanced back at her. Twenty minutes later, I was the owner of a Doberman Pinscher puppy that I decided to name Rocky.

"Hey, what are doing?" Happy asked after I answered the phone. I wiggled a rope toy in hopes that Rocky would play with it an not be so scared.

"Playing with my puppy." I said. Rocky saw the toy and pounced on it. I laughed and pulled the toy back a little so he chased it.

"A puppy, huh? What kind?" Happy asked with a laugh. I smiled and let Rocky have the toy.

"He's a Doberman Pinscher. I named him Rocky." I said as he shook the toy as fiercely as he could. It seemed to make him dizzy because he dropped down onto his butt and sat there for a second.

"You didn't want a tiny dog, huh?" He asked. I shook my head as Rocky walked onto my lap and laid down.

"Nope. He's perfect." I stroked his soft ears and leaned back against the coffee table. "I miss you."

"That why you got a puppy, girl? I'll be out in less than two weeks." He said. I knew that. I was practically counting down the days.

"No, I got him because he seemed lonely and I like dogs." I realized Rocky was sound asleep so I carefully picked him up and moved onto the couch. He barely even noticed. "I have an interview at Saint Thomas on Monday."

"That's good, baby." He tried to hide a yawn but I could already tell by how he was talking that he was tired. "I'm going to hit the rack. Don't let the dog sleep in the bed."

"Goodnight, Hap." I said, ignoring his last comment.

"Goodnight, baby." He said with a yawn. I realized I was tired as well so I carried Rocky down the hall to the bedroom with me. He woke up and walked around on the bed for a second before settling in beside me.

**Release Day**

"Rocky, come on buddy." I said, squatting down outside of the car. He still wasn't comfortable with car rides. It was like he thought I was going to take him back to the store. He eventually crept over towards me with his tail between his legs. I shook my head and kissed the top of his head before picking him up and setting him in the passenger floorboard. When we got to the lot of TM, he started wagging his stub of a tail.

"Aye, there's my boy!" Chibs said, opening the passenger door. Rocky jumped out and started jumping all around Chibs. He knew that he probably had treats in his pockets like he did since the second day Rocky had seen him. I had started working at the hospital a few days ago and Rocky stayed at the clubhouse while I was at work. Chibs and Kozik talked Gemma into it by saying that he could be a guard dog when he got older.

"Any word on when the guys will be here?" I asked, accepting a kiss on the cheek from Chibs.

"Aye, they just got on the road a few minutes ago. Should be less than an hour." He said, tossing a ball towards the boxing ring. Rocky chased it down as Chibs and I walked towards the clubhouse. "Don't be nervous, love."

"It's been a long time, Chibs. He's been away longer than we've known one another." I explained. He shook his head and opened the door for me.

"You've still known him and visited him, love. Just be yourself." He said. Rocky barreled across the room and ran right into Kozik's legs. "Ya want a drink?"

"No, it would just make my stomach even more upset." I said, feeling my stomach flip and flop about. I was looking forward to seeing him but I was so nervous. Rocky looked back at me and ran over, sitting down right in front of me. I sighed and squatted down so he could put his paws on my shoulders. I scratched his head and his back until he was satisfied and romped away again.

Tara arrived with the boys and Abel went right to Rocky. We had been nervous about them playing together at first but they were both gentle with each other. Abel liked for Rocky to chase him and Rocky liked belly rubs. It was a mutually beneficial friendship.

"Hey, you look like you're going to be sick." Tara said. I groaned and took Thomas so she could put her bags down.

"I'm just worried that him coming back will be like a needle to a balloon, like what we had will just go 'POP' and be gone." I admitted. I felt like I sounded silly but it was the only way I knew how to explain it. Tara nodded and took Thomas back into her arms.

"I get it. Just relax." I nodded, knowing there was nothing I could do to change things if this was the end. A little while later, we heard the unmistakable sound of motorcycles coming down the road. I left Rocky inside with a bone so he was safe from the noise and then headed outside with everyone else. Happy rolled onto the lot towards the back of the group and my stomach did another flip. He was wearing his normal, dark sunglasses so I couldn't tell if he saw me.

The croweaters seemed to come out of the wood work and made a bee line towards the "unattached" club members. Jax pulled Tara into his arms and kissed Thomas on the head while Clay walked over to Gemma. There were two croweaters hanging on Happy's arms when I caught sight of him through the crowd. My heart dropped. I was an idiot for thinking the two of us could actually work. I turned my back and walked into the clubhouse to get Rocky and go home. He wasn't in the main room so I walked down the hall to gym where he normally napped.

"Planning on leaving already?" I heard his voice ask as I put Rocky's leash on. My throat tightened before I turned to look at him.

"You seemed pretty busy out there." I said, ready to get home and eat a pint of ice cream. He shook his head and blocked the doorway so I couldn't leave. Rocky looked up at him and backed up so he was standing between my legs. He started growling.

"Nah, let them know that I had a girl waiting on me." He said, taking a step forward. Rocky growled louder and let out a bark. He was trying to be tough but he was still just a puppy. "You going to call your guard dog off?"

"Rocky, go lay down." I said, hoping he would listen. He was still learning and could be stubborn. He looked up at me and let out a huff before walking over to a mat and laying down. I looked at Happy and shrugged. "This isn't going to work."

"Why not?" He asked, putting his hands on my hips. I took a deep breath and shook my head. "You seeing somebody else?"

"What? No. Happy, you've got all those women throwing themselves at you and probably dozens more on the road." I said. He chuckled and kissed my lips. I had missed that feeling for months but I pulled back.

"Skye. I never would have asked you to be here when I got out if I wanted them more than I want you. You're different." He kissed me again. "You're better."

I wasn't completely convinced but I couldn't resist him anymore. I kissed him and grabbed the front of his vest. He pulled me to him and I felt him harden against me. Rocky stood up and barked.

"Think we could go to my place?" I asked quickly. He nodded and picked me up.

"Come on, dog." Happy said, looking back at Rocky. Rocky trotted along behind us as Happy carried me over his shoulder. He carried me to my car before letting me down. Rocky rushed to me and looked up at Happy, no doubt wondering who that man thought he was. "I'll follow you, baby."

"Okay." I all but whispered. Rocky jumped right into the car and sat in the passenger seat. I felt nervous but this time it was more excited nerves than worried nerves. I pulled out of the lot and headed home with Happy riding in my rearview. I smiled, despite all my fears, I was happy he was home.


End file.
